Wednesday Weekly

1/20 No School

1/21 Chipotle Fundraiser in Happy Valley 4-8 pm(see below)

1/22 Varsity BBall @ Parkrose MS beginning at 4;45pm

1/22 JV BBall @ DCD vs GRMS beginning at 4:45pm

Students must be picked up at the CURB in the Parent Pick-up Line. Do not pull ahead and have your child run out to your car. When you do this you are stopping all traffic from from moving.

Do not encourage your middle school students to walk across the lot to you. We almost had a student hit by not noticing a car that was backing out.

Please do not stop in the parking lot and force those behind you to stop on the roadway. When you pull into the lot, if you cannot fit along the curb, you need to circle around or just park.

Help your fellow parents out and also remember to leave only a small amount of space between you and the car in front of you. This allows more cars to fit along the curb.

Thank you for helping to keep everyone safe.

PTO Meeting Minutes

Did you miss last week's monthly PTO meeting? Never fear, our meeting minutes are posted to the DCD PTO website each month to help keep you informed of our current events and initiatives! Click here to access PTO Meeting Minutes.

Dining-4-DCD at Chipotle

Help us raise some additional funds to support DCD by dining out at Chipotle (Happy Valley location only), on Tuesday, January 21st from 4-8pm. Order online using the code CHDEHYA, or print/show this flyer in the restaurant.

Fred Meyer Community Rewards

Did you know you can support DCD while grocery shopping? That's right! Sign-up for the FREE Fred Meyer Community Rewards Program, and a portion of every shopping trip will be donated! Sign-up today!

Exclusion Day is February 21st. This means that we need to have ALL required immunizations records up to date or students will be excluded from school.

Feedback from our Family Survey highlighted a need to share more information about state testing and the assessment of students' skills and knowledge. State testing is one form of assessment that helps schools to form a whole picture of student knowledge, student needs and prepares students for other types of assessments that they will take in high school (AP tests, SAT, ACT, etc). The information that we gather from students participating in state testing covers many areas that may not always be considered:

Assessment of School Effectiveness:

• State tests and other assessments (iReady, DIBELS, etc) provide valuable data that helps assess the effectiveness of the school's curriculum and teaching methods. Opting out may limit the school's ability to identify areas of improvement and implement necessary changes.

School Funding:

• Schools and school districts also may be penalized for not meeting the designated participation rate. Students who are opted out count against the school's participation rate.
• State funding for schools is often tied to student performance on standardized tests. Opting out may impact the school's budget, affecting resources, extracurricular activities, and support programs.

College and Career Readiness:

• Standardized tests are often used by colleges and employers to assess a student's readiness for higher education or the workforce. Strong performance can open doors to future opportunities. State testing is a way for students to practice and build stamina for longer tests they will take in the future.

Educational Equity:

• Standardized testing helps identify achievement gaps among different demographic groups. By participating, parents contribute to the ongoing efforts to address educational disparities and promote equity in schools.

Teacher Evaluation:

• Test results may be used, in part, to examine teacher performance. Results can help recognize effective teaching practices and identify areas for professional development.

Development of Life Skills:

• Standardized tests often include components that assess critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills. Participation helps students develop these essential life skills.

I hope by providing clear information about the purpose and benefits of state testing, parents can make more informed decisions about their child's education.OSAS Opt-Out Forms (REPEAT):

• 2024-25 State Test Opt-Out Form - English
• 2024-25 State Test Opt-Out Form - Spanish