DMS Eagle News (11/17/23)

Eagle Families,

Just a brief Friday version of the newsletter before we go off on our Fall Break. All of us at DMS hope you have a safe and fun week. Here are a few quick reminders.

• 8th grade Eagle families - don't forget to provide your address verification with CUHSD. They will be visiting DMS in January and it's important to have that taken care of before then. See below for their info and links.
• A reminder that HSC and the programs it serves on our campus are reliant on donations from parents and the community. Donating is easy - the link is HERE.
• DMS Teams and Teachers also have wish lists for their classrooms - please check your child's classroom info for how you can help.

• Could you or someone you know use a helping hand this holiday season? Vouchers for food are available to any family or individual who needs one. Click HERE for more info.
  
• Last chance for purchasing Chromebook Insurance as the deadline is Dec 1. See below for more details.
• Want to see more pictures and a video compilation of our DMS Spelling Bee? We thought so - they can be found here - Video | Pictures

Happening Soon:

• Fall Break (no school) is from Nov 20-24.

On the Horizon:

• USD Board Meeting is Dec 11th at 6pm.
• DMS Band Winter Concerts are on Dec 12th and 14th.
• Winter Break begins Dec 21st with students returning on Jan 4th.

As your child looks to transition to high school next year, please take a look at the important information from Campbell Union HS District linked below. It's important to know that EVERY incoming family (even if you live in their boundary) will have to provide address verification. Please check the info below for your specific situation and more information.

Information sheet - English | Spanish

CUHSD Incoming Families Website

• Please make sure you always check in through the front office if you wish to visit DMS during our campus hours (8:10-3:05). We want to make sure everyone on campus has gone through the proper procedures. Thanks.
• Our website announcements can be found HERE. Information on clubs/activities can often be found in these announcements so you will want to bookmark this. Your student has access (under their USD account) to the morning announcements - which has even more information.
  
• Our students social and emotional well being is important to us. If students are suffering and need help we are here for them. In addition to the DMS staff, they can reach out in other ways. See this info flyer HERE.
• Our DMS School Compact is located HERE.
• Wonder what's for snack and lunch? You can check out the menus for DMS HERE.
• Is your student having a conflict with others that needs mediated? DMS has an EMT (Eagles Mediation Team) that may help. Students can complete an EMT form (located in ClassLink) and get help from fellow Eagles who have been trained in peer conflict mediation. More serious conflicts can be mediated by staff.

We are seeing an uptick in chromebook damages. We are getting closer to the end of our sign-up deadline. Remember for $37 for your child’s chromebook and it will be insured for the whole year. Starting in December, we will not be able to cover any additional devices.

Sign up here: https://schooldevicecoverage.com/signup

Here are the top 5 reasons to sign up for your Chromebook insurance

1. Protection against accidental damage: School-issued devices, such as laptops and tablets, are often used by students on a daily basis. Accidents happen, and it's not uncommon for devices to be dropped, spilled on, or otherwise damaged. Insurance can protect the school district from the cost of repairing or replacing these devices.
2. Coverage for theft: School-issued devices can also be a target for theft, especially if they're left in unsecured areas or taken home by students. Insurance can help cover the cost of replacing stolen devices, which can be a significant expense for a school district.
3. Peace of mind for parents: Many parents are concerned about the cost of repairing or replacing a school-issued device if it's damaged or stolen. Insuring the devices can provide parents with peace of mind, knowing that their child's device is protected.
4. Protection for the school budget: Without insurance, the cost of repairing or replacing damaged or stolen devices can be a significant expense for a school district. Insurance can help spread out this cost over time, making it more manageable for the school's budget.
5. Encouraging responsible device use: Insuring devices can also encourage students to take better care of them, as they know that any accidental damage will be covered by insurance. This can in turn encourage responsible device usage.

Join the Union School District Team!

• Become a Substitute (Teaching, Instructional Assistant, Office, and Food Service positions available). Apply today: Teaching Positions | Other Positions

• Get a full or part time position (Teaching, Instructional Assistant, Office, Food Service, and Extended Care positions). Apply today on EdJoin.

• Become a noon duty aide. Contact your school front office for more information.

The Union School District is proud to continue our partnership with We Tip. WeTip is designed to serve as a resource for students who experienced or observed school-related bullying, racism, harassment, vandalism or other inappropriate behaviors. Once a report is filed, WeTip will contact our Student Services in our Learning and Innovation Department with the specifics of the incident, and Student Services will work with the administration, counselors, and other school staff.

Through WeTip, the anonymity of the person reporting is maintained. Students and parents are also encouraged to contact school staff directly to report inappropriate behaviors because this typically provides us with more detailed and helpful information. A We Tip report can be submitted via the We Tip hotline (844) 408-0580 or online using this link.

You'll be hearing a lot about SOAR this year. What is it? It represents our DMS school wide expectations. Safety, Ownership, Acceptance and Respect. Our first week of school your Eagles learned what those look like in various areas of the campus (restrooms, blacktop, lunch area, hallways, etc...) and our goal is for all students to exhibit those expectations. Students may receive our Eagle tickets for doing so. Those can be used to enter our weekly drawings for DMS swag and a pizza party. Throughout the year, we will highlight aspects of these expectations in the newsletter so you can partner with us as we strive to SOAR.

USD is committed to the well-being of our students, staff, and families to create a safe and healthy learning environment. In support of our ongoing commitment, USD has partnered with Care Solace to provide an additional layer of care for our community.

Care Solace helps individuals find mental health care providers and substance use treatment centers. Their Care Companion™ team is available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, and 365 days per year to quickly connect you to carefully verified providers in your community.

Students, staff, and families may access Care Solace services in two ways:

• Call (888) 515-0595 at any time. Support is available in 200+ languages. A dedicated Care Companion™ will help you every step of the way to research options, secure appointments, and follow up to make sure it is a good fit.
• For an anonymous search, answer a few questions to get matched with an extensive list of care providers at www.caresolace.com/unionsd.

Care Solace is now available for use at no cost to you. They will connect you with providers accepting all medical insurances including Medicaid, Medicare, and sliding scale options for those without insurance. All information entered on the Care Solace tool is completely confidential and securely stored.

Please note, this service is an optional resource available by choice and is not mandatory to use. Care Solace is not an emergency response service or mental health services provider. In the event of a life-threatening emergency, please call 9-1-1 or the National Suicide Hotline 1-800-273-8255. If you are interested in counseling-related services for your child, yourself, or another family member, please contact Care Solace for valuable assistance. This is a complimentary resource provided by Union School District.

We wanted to let you know attendance will be a top priority. When children miss school days, they miss out the opportunity to learn from their teachers. The more children miss, the harder it is for them to keep up with those who attend school regularly. While some absences are unavoidable for health reasons or other important family matters, but we also know that even when children have missed school for good reasons, too many absences can cause them to fall behind.

Let’s work together to make sure that your child does no fall behind in school this school year. Please ensure that your children attends school every day and also arrives on time so they benefit as much as possible from what is taught in the classroom. Here are a few practical tips to help support regular attendance:

• Make sure your children keep a regular bedtime,

• Lay out clothes and pack backpacks the night before.

• Establish a morning routine.

• Ensure your children go to school every day unless they are truly sick (e.g child has a fever, is throwing up or has diarrhea versus a minor stomach ache or runny nose.)

• Avoid scheduling vacations or doctor’s appointments when school is in session.

• Talk to teachers and counselors for advice if your children feel anxious about going to school.

• Develop back up plans for getting to school if something comes up. Call on a family member, neighbor, or another parent to take your child to school.

Please watch this short video on the importance of attendance.

Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) is a federal initiative designed to provide food assistance to students who have been impacted by the pandemic and are missing out on meals that would have been provided at school. This program aims to replace those meals with a monetary benefit that can be used to purchase food.

P-EBT benefits are being distributed to all students who attended Union School District last year. The California Department of Education has determined eligibility for P-EBT cards based on the District's status, rather than the individual status of each student. Beginning this month, P-EBT cards containing a benefit amount of $120 have been mailed to student's home mailing address. These cards function like debit cards and can be used at locations where CalFresh Food benefits are accepted.

Families who determine the P-EBT benefits are not necessary can drop off their cards at a collection box which will be made available in the front office area at each school. The District is working with the California Department of Education on redistributing returned P-EBT cards to students who are in need of these benefits.

Don't forget to visit the HSC website so you can donate. Donations go towards many academic and extra-curricular program funding at DMS. There are also opportunities to volunteer.

DSM HSC Website

Have you visited the DMS Store yet? If not, you're missing out. It's the easiest way to purchase your student's PE clothes, lock and planner. It's also a great way to show your Eagle pride by purchasing DMS apparel. Finally, you can place your athletic donations from there as well.

DMS Store Website

Email: boggss@unionsd.org
Website: https://dartmouth.unionsd.org
Location: 5575 Dartmouth Drive, San Jose, CA, USA
Phone: 408-264-1122
Twitter: @DartmouthMS