Doolen Monthly 24-08

Dear Doolen Families,

Welcome to the 2024-2025 school year! We are thrilled to welcome our students and staff back to school. We hope that you were able to relax and make special memories with your friends and families. Now, it is time to look forward to a wonderful new school year as we are moving forward as a UNITED Doolen Middle School – GATE, ELD, ExEd, General Ed – We are…DOOLEN THUNDERBIRDS!

Our incredible staff of educators have been working hard throughout the summer to prepare classrooms for the new school year. We are grateful to our amazing custodial staff as they worked all summer getting our school in pristine shape. Our office staff are working hard to ensure a smooth start for staff, students, and families.

Doolen Middle School is such a special place to learn and grow. We are proud of our beautiful school and have high expectations for every student. We strive to make connections with students to help them feel valued, accepted, and safe. Our school is committed to fostering passions, developing responsible citizens, and preparing for tomorrow’s opportunities which will continue to guide our mission to provide a rigorous and joyful inclusive school environment. Our overarching goal is to encourage active student engagement to foster a lifetime love for learning using best instructional practices.

Our academic instruction will be prepared through effective Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) of content teams following state standards, utilizing AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) practices in all classes through strong student to student engagement/learning. In addition to instructional practices, we will be holding ourselves accountable via Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), an evidence based, tiered framework for supporting students’ behavioral, academic, social, emotional, and mental health. When implemented with fidelity, PBIS improves social emotional competence, academic success, and school climate. It also improves teacher health and wellbeing. It is a way to create positive, predictable, equitable and safe learning environments where everyone thrives.

Partnering with families is crucial to promote a healthy transition to school. We encourage families to stay connected and informed by following our district website, announcements, and social media pages (Facebook and Instagram) and to participate in our Monthly Site Council and PTO (Parent-Teacher Organization) meetings. In addition, GATE families hold GATE Booster meetings each month. Embedded into our family engagement is our on-site Higher Ground Team that engages the students, families, and community to our school.

Please look for procedural updates communicated to you from Doolen Middle School and Tucson Unified School District for more up to date information.

With great enthusiasm,

Nathaly Santin

Principal

Our staff is here Monday, July 29 to Wednesday, July 31, however, our certified staff (admin/teachers/counselors) are preparing their classrooms and in training, so we are limited to having our front office staff and library staff only to speak with you in person. You are always welcome to register. Remember, our office hours are 8:15 am - 4:15 pm.

• Thursday, August 1st - First Day of School! Class schedules will be distributed in the cafeteria, as breakfast is served. Gates for students open at 8:15 am in the courtyard area, sorry, no parents. Reminder that students must wear a uniform on their first day of school. Polos in burgundy, white, grey, and/or black. Neutral colored pants/skirts/dresses including jeans. No holes, no baggy pants, no leggings, and no sweats. Shoes must be closed toed and cannot be crocs or other slip on/sandal type shoe. The bell rings at 8:50 am to start 1st period. Reminder that there are no cell phones at this time. Students can come in to school without a parent escort until the end of 1st period. After that time, a parent escort is required for entry via the front office.
• Friday, August 2nd - We do it all again!

August is Eye Health and Safety Month and Immunization Awareness Month

Week 1 - 2-day student school week

Th- Aug 1 - First Day of School. 8:50am -3:50 pm.

F-Aug 2 - National Water Balloon Day

Week 2 - Continue "First 7 days of school"

M- Aug 5 - National Underwear Day

Fall Sports Begin

T-Aug 6 - National Fresh Breath Day, First fire drill

W-Aug 7- National Raspberries and Cream Day

Th-Aug 8- Global Sleep under the Stars Day

Title 1 Community Meeting in the cafeteria @ 5 pm, then PTO meetings and Open House immediately following. Doolen Cafeteria

F- Aug 9 - National Book Lovers Day

1st Assembly during school hours

Week 3 - Content starts being taught at school!

M-Aug 12 - International Youth Day

T - Aug 13 - Intenational Left-Handers Day

W-Aug 14 - World Lizard Day

Th- Aug 15 - Natl Lemon Meringue Pie Day, Secure Drill taking place

F-Aug 16 - Natl Tell a Joke Day

Week 4 - 4-day student school week

M-Aug 19 - International Soft Ice Cream Day

T-Aug 20-National Radio Day

W- Aug 21 - PLT Day. No students. Staff must be present at school.

Th-Aug 22 - National "Be an Angel" Day

F-Aug 23 - National Sponge Cake Day

Week 5 - Be Kind to Humankind Week

M- Aug 26 - Natl Women's Equality Day

T-Aug 27 - World Rock-Paper-Scissors Day

W-Aug 28 - National Thoughtful Day

Th- Aug 29 - National Lemon Juice Day

F- Aug 30 - National College Colors Day (Go Blue/Yellow).

Week 6 - Labor Day week - 4-day student work week

M - Sep 2 LABOR DAY WEEKEND! No school!

Instagram: @doolenthunderbirds

Email: nathaly.santin@tusd1.org
Website: https://doolenms.tusd1.org/
Location: Doolen Middle School, North Country Club Road, Tucson, AZ, USA
Phone: 520-232-6900
Facebook: facebook.com/doolenmiddleschool