Discovery Middle School

(L-R) Mr. Hunter Reinke-Assistant Principal and 8th Grade Level Principal; Mr. Brandon Larson-Assistant Principal and Activities Director and 6th Grade Level Principal; Mrs. Amy Herrick-Head Principal and 7th Grade Level Principal; Mr. Jacob Kienzle-6-8 Dean of Students

Next Early Out Day

How to Follow Your Child's Progress On Canvas: Log In As Your Child!

Citizenship Test

Discovery Important Goals: DIGS

24-25 Early-Out Schedule

24-25 DMS Daily Period Schedule

Building a Foundation For Success: FPS Code of Character, Conduct and Support (CCCS)

Building a Foundation for Success: Evidence Based Reporting (EBR) and Standards Based Instruction (SBI)

Building a Foundation for Success: FPS Philosophies

Fargo Public Schools 2023-2024 Annual Report

Community Friends Pre-School Program

Gifted Services Paperwork Update

DMS PTA Monthly Update: PTA Launches a New Website!

Athletics and Activities Corner with Mr. Larson

Counseling Corner

• High School Registration
• Registration for future 6th, 7th, and 8th graders
• High School tours

December Mental Health Series

Nursing Nuggets with Nurse Megan: Welcome to our Substitute Nurse Tonia!

SRO Corner with Officer Noll: Guidelines for Success: Winter Conditions to Be Aware Of

Reinke's Realm: Understanding and Addressing Skipping Class In Middle School

Kienzle's Corner: Understanding the Threat And Intimidation Policy

What's Happening in the Library

Frozen Eagles Ski & Snowboard Club

Upcoming Events

December Letter Day Calendar

Parent Accommodations/Communications
Yearbooks
Liz's Closet

For the 2024-25 school year, Fargo Public Schools (FPS) will implement four “early release” school days for students. On these days, students will be dismissed two hours early at each building. The early dismissal will allow our teaching staff to gather in an extended Professional Learning Community (PLC). Principals will send out specific building schedules.

During these early release days, our teachers will be focusing on analyzing student data, setting goals for student learning, and reviewing and planning research-based instructional strategies for students who need support and those who need enrichment. Teachers will collaborate with grade or content-level peers to review, reflect, and learn from each other in meeting students' needs.

We understand that early release days may cause some inconvenience for parents and guardians, but this is an important step towards improving our teaching practices and ultimately benefiting our students' learning outcomes. We appreciate your understanding and support in this matter.

A great way to follow your student’s progress is to be an observer in their Canvas Courses and follow scores posted in PowerSchool. The following link will walk you through how to be an observer in your student’s Canvas Course.

The North Dakota state legislature has passed HB 1087, requiring all students to demonstrate proficiency in civics as a requirement for high school graduation. The law states:

“a student may take the test, in whole or in part, at any time after enrolling in grade seven and may repeat the test, or any portion thereof, as often as necessary to demonstrate proficiency.”

Every middle school in the district will be offering that test to students in grade eight this year. The information on the civics test is closely related to the material covered in eighth grade social studies. Students who do not demonstrate proficiency (70% or above) will have the opportunity to take the test again at the high school. There is no penalty for taking the test multiple times and there is never a fee to take the test.

The questions for the civics test are taken from the federal government’s Naturalization Test.

If you have questions or would like further information, please feel free to contact one of our 8th grade history teachers. Jeremy Nesvold 8-1 (nesvolj@fargo.k12.nd.us), Hans Anderson 8-2 (andersh@fargo.k12.nd.us), Kyle Stegman 8-3 (stegmak@fargo.k12.nd.us).

Discovery students will be taking this test in early January 2025.

This year, each FPS building was tasked with coming up with 2-3 Important Goals that are directly tied to the FPS Strategic Plan. The FPS Strategic Plan has 6 areas of focus, DMS chose to focus on areas 1. Tiered Instruction and 2. Positive School Culture and Safety.

Please see the FPS Strategic Plan Website for more information about the strategic plan and the stratgic plan scorecard. Each month there will be relevant updates on the progress of DMS DIGS as well as updates on other portions of the strategic plan as it applies to DMS.

Discovery Daily Period Schedule

The FPS Code of Character, Conduct, and Support is the District's guidelines to ensure a safe and respectful learning environment. It outlines the rights and responsibilities of students, parents, and staff, helping everyone work together to support student success and maintain a positive school culture. Fargo Public Schools has introduced important updates to the Code to enhance the clarity and support in its shared goals.

Read about the updates to the Code of Character, Conduct, and Support in this Feature Column by FPS Director of Educational Justice Tristan Love.

Learn more about Standards Based Instruction and Evidence Based Reporting on the FPS Secondary Instructional and Grading Practices Website.

These FPS Philosophies uphold our organizational truths and demonstrate Fargo Public Schools’ commitment to inclusive practices in education and the academic freedom of educators to utilize their expertise and professionalism to reach each student.

The Fargo Public Schools 2023-24 Annual Report is a summary of the District’s efforts to carry out its mission of “educating and empowering all students to succeed” during the 2023-24 school year. Read the report for an in-depth examination of the District’s students, staff, schools, departments, and programs and a celebration of their achievements. And view key statistics regarding staffing, budget, demographics, and assessment data. Thank you for supporting Fargo Public Schools and allowing the District to serve its students and families and provide an exceptional educational experience. Access the full document at www.fargo.k12.nd.us/AnnualReport.

Fargo Public Schools' Early Childhood Special Education program is seeking Community Friends to join its preschool classrooms. Community Friends are typically developing peers who will join the ECSE classrooms alongside the students with developmental delays or disabilities. Students must be 4 years old by July 31 and pass a developmental screening to be eligible for the program. The program is free of charge for families, but parents must provide transportation. The ECSE sessions are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Click here to apply for the ECSE Community Friends program.

Families of students in middle school gifted services may find their child’s fall individualized learning plan (ILP) or spring progress report in PowerSchool’s document storage area. ILPs are uploaded into PowerSchool document storage after semester 1 in January, while spring progress reports are uploaded after the end of the school year. Both ILP’s and progress reports from the 2023-24 school year are now available.

Due to the volume of students in middle school gifted services, it is not possible to fill each ILP or progress report with the kind of personalized information families would have seen at the elementary level. Please direct specific questions about your child’s progress to their classroom teacher.

Meetings
Everyone is welcome to attend our monthly meetings. You’ll hear first-hand what’s happening at school, within PTA, and you’ll have a voice in what PTA does. Each meeting offers an update on PTA business, an update from the admin team, and a special guest speaker.

January 13 (Monday) | 6:30 p.m. | Main Office Conference Room or Teams

You can join virtually via our Facebook Group or website.

Meetings are a great opportunity to meet teachers and staff at the school as well as fellow parents.

We are excited to share our new website with you!

You can find us a couple different ways:

From the Discovery Middle School website’s About Us page, you’ll find a link for Parent Teacher Association in the left side menu

Go directly to https://discovery.fargo.k12.nd.us/about-us/pta

1. You can learn about volunteer opportunities, check meeting dates, join monthly meetings virtually, and more as we work to grow the website.
2. Take a look around and let us know what you would like to see on the website. Don’t forget to bookmark the site for future reference.

Suicide Prevention Night | January 14 | 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. | Discovery Auditorium

The PTA is proud to host Suicide Prevention Night on Tuesday, January 14, 2025. Mark your calendar and make plans for your family to join us for an important evening of conversation, discussion, and resources on suicide prevention. Suicide is the leading cause of death in North Dakota for people ages 10-24, according to the ND Department of Public Instruction.

This event will feature Elizabeth and Todd Medd, co-founders of the 4-6-3 Foundation, whose mission is to reduce stigma, build hope, end suicide. This night will be a time for important discussion on suicide prevention with a panel discussion and more.

As parents, caregivers, friends, family members, and trusted adults, it’s up to us to do all we can for our kids when it comes to having hard conversations, recognizing warning signs, but also realizing there may not be warning signs, learning about the resources available, and supporting those in need.

Everyone at Discovery is invited to attend this important evening. We encourage you to invite your family and friends to attend. The event is free and open to the public. All are welcome.

Cultural Night | February 20 | 5:30 – 8:00 p.m. | Discovery Middle School

The PTA is again sponsoring Cultural Night at Discovery! Join us for this family friendly event to celebrate diversity within our community and learn about cultures around the world through delicious foods, live performances, and a lot of fun! Mark your calendar for Thursday, February 20, 2025.

If you would like to participate by sharing your culture or volunteering at the event, please email us!

This event is free and open to the public! All are welcome.

PTA membership is specific to Discovery and must be renewed each year. Dues are $15. Your dues also give you membership to both the statewide and national PTA organizations.

You can pay your membership dues a few different ways.

1. Square: http://bit.ly/3X1Pj3z. You don’t need to have a Square account to pay this way.
2. Pay through SchoolPay (under the Nonprofit Groups tab) in PowerSchool.
3. Drop off cash or check in the Main Office.

We are asking YOU to join PTA! Our goal is to reach 100 members this year and we are close but we need your help to achieve our goal. Membership dues are used for a variety of programs and enhancements for students, teachers, and staff. You aren’t obligated to volunteer or attend meetings although both are rewarding ways to show your support for PTA and Discovery!

This is your best source for all the information you need to know about PTA. Meetings will be listed there as events and we’ll post signup links for volunteer activities too. You can join the private group by searching “Discovery Middle School PTA-Fargo” or click this link: https://bit.ly/4cpH4Tm.

You can email the executive team at DiscoveryPTAPresident@gmail.com with any questions, ideas, or just to say HI! We look forward to getting to know you.

We look forward to having you as a part of the PTA for the 24-25 school year! Go Eagles!

Discovery Activities Calendar

7th & 8th Grade Boys' Basketball

• Season Starts January 6th
• See the Informational Flyer for more details

6th grade basketball

• Starts end of February

Legally Blonde Jr. Musical

• Performances will be Jan. 30, 31, and Feb 1.
• Contact Lori Koenig (Lead Director) if you have questions: Koenigl@fargo.k12.nd.us

Boys' Swimming and Diving

• Begins on December 2
• All Discovery students will participate on the Davies team.
• Contact Coach Johnson if you have questions: johnsoj9@fargo.k12.nd.us

6th Grade Band

• Concert on 12/10 @ 5:30 & 7 pm

7th Grade Band

• Concert on 12/12 @ 6 pm

8th Grade Band

• Concert on 12/12 @ 7:30 pm

Soaring String Orchestra/Con Brio Choir

• Concert on 12/17 @ 5:30 pm

Stay tuned for more updates and as always, thank you for supporting Discovery’s activities and our amazing students!

Thank you,

Brandon Larson, CAA

Assistant Principal | Activities Coordinator

High School Registration

Attention to all parents and guardians of 8th grade students! Registration for high school is quickly approaching. Davies counselors will be visiting Discovery on January 9th, 2025, to share information about high school and selecting courses. Each 8th grade student will be given a registration form to review and complete with their parents/guardians. This registration form is due to Student Services by January 17th, 2025. Discovery counselors will start meeting with the 8th grade students, individually, after January 17th, 2025. This individual meeting will be to register for high school courses, answer questions, and share information about what to expect in high school. Parents/guardians will be emailed a copy of the courses that their students have registered for. Also, Davies will be hosting a very informational course fair in January with a date, TBD.

Please reach out to your Discovery counselor with any questions and make sure you complete your student’s registration form as a family!

Mrs. Ferderer – 7th grade, 446-3318

Mr. Napton – 8th grade, 446-3314

Mr. Snowden –Lead Counselor, 446-3313

Mrs. McMinn –6th grade, 446-3312

Registration for future 6th, 7th, and 8th Graders

After the start of the new semester, the Discovery counselors will start visiting with our current 6th and 7th graders about registration for the 2025-2026 school year. In January, Mr. Snowden, who will be the 6th grade counselor for 2025-2026 school year, will also start transition visits with our future 6th graders. More information regarding registration will be shared with families once we return from winter break.

High School Tours

During the second semester Discovery 8th grade students will have the opportunity to tour the high school that they will attend in 9th grade. Dates and times of tours to Davies and South High are TBD. More information will be sent out to families once plans are finalized.

Fargo Public Schools is excited to introduce the Mental Health Series Platform from ParentGuidance.org, a powerful new resource designed to support family mental health and well-being. Experts agree that adult involvement is important in a child's success. When caregivers have helpful tools, it benefits children, strengthens families, and contributes to a thriving community.

Nurse Megan is currently out on maternity leave. We are pleased to welcome Nurse Tonia who will be subbing in her place at DMS.

Nurse Tonia's hours will be: M, T, TH, F from 9:00-1:00. When Nurse Tonia is not here, we have several staff who are basic first-aid and able to administer medications to students who will serve in her place.

As Winter begins road conditions can change quickly! It is important to allow extra time for traveling and not speed on icy roads. Discovery Middle School and Centennial Elementary are located very close to one another and traffic in the area can get hectic in the morning and after school. Many Discovery students walk/ride bike to and from school and areas around the school become congested. As many of you see on a daily basis there are flashing yellow signs surrounding the school enforcing a 20 MPH (Mile per Hour) school zone. The city and your local law enforcement take these signs seriously.

Fargo Municipal Code 8-0502. - Speed limitations.

Subject to the provisions of § 8-0501 and except in instances where a lower speed is specified in this chapter or by the laws of this state, it shall be prima facie lawful for the driver of a vehicle to drive the same at a speed not exceeding:

Subsection B: Twenty miles an hour when passing a school; regular school hours when children are present, or when traveling through a designated school zone when a flashing beacon or other device indicates that reduced speed is required.

Penalty for violating the flashing beacon with children present is $80 if going (1-10 MPH) over the 20 MPH limit plus $2 for every MPH over 10.

Please drive safely and if you have any questions please reach out to Officer Noll.

Dear Discovery Families,

As the holiday season is all around us, we're reminded of the happiness, growth, and learning we've experienced together this year. We're so proud of our students' achievements and grateful for the partnership we share with our wonderful Discovery families and staff.

A Key to Student Success

Regular school attendance is crucial for students' academic performance and overall well-being. A study published in the Journal of School Health highlights that students who are satisfied with their school environment tend to have better attendance records and higher grades.

The Role of School Satisfaction

The study emphasizes that a positive school climate—characterized by supportive teacher-student relationships, a sense of safety, and student engagement—greatly influences students' satisfaction with their school experience. This satisfaction leads to improved attendance and academic outcomes.

Discovery Middle School's Commitment

Discovery Middle School is dedicated to fostering a nurturing and engaging environment. Our initiatives include:

• Supportive Staff: Encouraging open communication between students and staff to build trust and support.
• Safe Environment: Implementing policies and practices that ensure the safety and well-being of our students.
• Exciting Opportunities: Clubs, sports, and events that engage students and build lifelong skills.

Parental Involvement

We encourage parents to participate in their children's education by actively:

• Stay Informed: Read school newsletters, check PowerSchool, and stay connected with teachers.
• Encouraging Attendance: Reinforcing the importance of regular school attendance and addressing any barriers.
• Build Positive Habits: Create morning routines that ensure your child is prepared and excited for school.

A Season of Celebration at Discovery

This month, we're celebrating the accomplishments of our students, from classroom projects to sports victories and arts performances. We are so proud of their hard work and determination! Thank you for your continued partnership, and Go Eagles!

Building Positive Connections This Holiday Season

Dear Discovery Families,

Over the past months, our focus has been on helping students understand and uphold the expectations outlined in our Code of Conduct while providing the necessary support to help them succeed. Last month I talked about the threat/intimidation and the harassment and discrimination behavior policies. Please take a moment to go back and review them if you missed those important policies.

This month, I would like to shift our focus to something equally important: strengthening the connections between you and your student(s) through positive conversations as students and families will be spending more time around each other with our long break from school at the end of the month.

Middle school is a time of growth, change, and sometimes, challenges. Communication plays a key role in helping students navigate this phase successfully. While it’s easy to talk about grades, rules, and responsibilities, building positive conversations can feel trickier. These conversations can help build trust, boost your student’s confidence, and create an environment where they feel heard and supported.

Here are a few tips and conversation starters to help foster meaningful dialogue with your middle schooler:

1. Set the tone: Choose a relaxed, distraction-free time for conversations. Avoid starting conversations during stressful moments like right after school or before bedtime.

2. Ask open-ended questions: These invite your student to share more than just "yes" or "no."

3. Listen actively: Show you’re fully present by making eye contact and giving verbal cues that you’re engaged, like “That’s interesting!” or “Tell me more about that.”

4. Share about yourself: Modeling openness by sharing a story about your own middle school years or a challenge you faced can encourage your student to open up.

5. Celebrate small wins: Highlight their efforts and progress, not just outcomes like grades or awards.

Here are some questions to spark connection:

"What’s something fun or surprising you learned in school this week?"

"What’s something that made you laugh today?"

"If you could design a perfect school day, what would it look like?"

"Who’s someone at school who inspires you, and why?"

"What’s something you’re proud of yourself for this week?"

"If you could teach me something you’ve learned recently, what would it be?"

"What do you think makes a good friend, and why?"

A Holiday Challenge

During the holiday season, I encourage you to start a new tradition of gratitude. At dinner or during a quiet moment, ask each family member to share:

“What’s one thing I’m grateful for today?”

“What’s one way I can help someone else this week?”

These small moments of sharing can have a big impact on your connection with your child and help create a positive environment at home.

Thank you for all you do to support your student’s growth, both academically and emotionally. If you ever have questions or need guidance, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Wishing you and your family a joyful and peaceful holiday season!

Sincerely,

Jacob Kienzle

Dean of Students

6th graders learned read-aloud techniques and the importance of reading aloud to children, making it a great activity to do with younger siblings or while babysitting. E for Everyone books and babysitter bags (5 books per bag) are available for checkout in the Discovery Library!

Christina was impressed with the positive vibe of our students as well as their excellent behavior and thoughtful questions. 6th graders read All Thirteen and The Last Mapmaker in preparation for her visit. Literacy was in the forefront, for sure…a reason for celebration!

• Please help your student remember to charge their device every night, so it is ready to use during the day. Bringing the charging cord to school is a good idea as well.
• In addition, ask your student to shut the device down each night. This is especially important as we move back and forth from school to home.

Please ensure your child has earbuds or headphones in school, as

many audio options are available and utilized for learning.

Discovery Frozen Eagles ski and snowboard club will be back again this year for some winter fun. For further information checkout our website: https://sites.google.com/view/discoveryfrozeneagles/home or email questions to discoverysnowboardskiclub@gmail.com.

December 20

• Early Out - Classes dismissed at 1:30

December 21-January 1

• Winter Break - no school

January 2

• Classes Resume

January 6

• 7th & 8th Boys Basketball begins

January 17

• Staff PD - no students

January 20

• Martin Luther King Day - no school

Please see below for the December Letter Day Calendar or check out our Discovery website.

Our bell schedules and calendars are always posted on our Discovery website.

Family support is so important for your child’s success at Discovery. If parents or other family members need accommodations to participate and attend any school function at Discovery, please contact the school office two to three business days prior to the event. Every effort will be made to meet your needs.

Communicating with parents and families is always our goal at Discovery Middle School.

You may subscribe to Discovery’ Newsletter and Daily Announcements on our website by going to “Content E-Alerts” on Discovery’s website. Parents/guardians can sign up to receive alerts about new Daily Announcements, Newsletters, etc., for each school your students attend. E-Alerts are sent to users who have subscribed to a homepage or website section of interest. You will receive an email notification that content has been modified.

You may also want to add our school calendar to your personal calendar. This will help you stay informed about all the activities that are happening at Discovery.

Our school supply list, our student handbook, a link to PowerSchool, PTA information, and several other useful links are also available on our website.

https://www.fargo.k12.nd.us/discovery

Yearbook orders will be taken online .The cost is $25.00. To ensure that your child will receive a yearbook at the end of the year, it must be ordered and paid for in advance. The deadline for ordering a yearbook is Friday, April 4, 2025.

A Discreet, Free Resource for Discovery Students in Need

What: Discovery strives as a team to meet the needs of all students as part of our mission to build a foundation for success. Liz’s Closet, a free resource at Discovery, aligns with this mission by providing students in need with items such as clothing, hygiene products, non-perishable food items, etc.

At Discovery, we hope to provide developmentally appropriate support to students in need by offering a means to obtain basic food and hygiene products in a discreet manner. Students utilizing Liz’s Closet will have access to reusable bags, so items are less visible as students are leaving the building.

Where: Liz’s Closet will be located in Student Services. The room being used as “Liz’s Closet” will be accessible through a trusted adult in the building (teachers, counselors, administrators, paraprofessionals, designated staff).

Who: Any student in need of these items is welcome to take what he/she needs with the help of a trusted adult.

How: Although students are welcome to directly ask a trusted adult at Discovery to use Liz’s Closet, to maintain privacy as best as possible, a student can simply draw a star on a sheet of paper and bring it to a trusted adult. The adult will then instruct the student as to when he/she can go to Student Services to collect what is needed. If this adult does not have a time that works for him/her, the adult will notify the appropriate counselor or Student Services staff member to be expecting this student sometime within the school day. Once in Student Services, the student will be escorted to the closet and can take what is needed.

If you know of anyone who may need to utilize this resource, please do not hesitate to contact a Discovery counselor or administrator. Additionally, if you would like to donate shelf-stable food, school supplies, or hygiene products to Liz’s Closet, please contact Taylor Ferderer (school counselor) at 446-3318.

Amy Herrick, Principal

Brandon Larson, Assistant Principal/Activities Coordinator

Hunter Reinke, Assistant Principal

Jacob Kienzle, Dean of Students

Website: www.fargo.k12.nd.us/discovery
Location: 1717 40th Avenue South, Fargo, ND, USA
Phone: 701-446-3300