DMS Community,

Spring conferences are quickly approaching on March 4th and 6th. The highlight of these dates will be the Celebration of Learning on Thursday, March 6 from 3:30-7:30. We invite the entire DMS community in to celebrate all the great learning experiences our students have engaged in this year.

This event will also feature the celebration of culture projects learners have been engaging in and cash concessions that directly support DMS learner groups. We hope that you can join us anytime between 3:30-7:30 on Thursday, March 6.

While the Celebration of Learning is the main focus for Spring Conferences, we understand that many families want individual conferences with staff. Spring check-ins will be a drop-in model at the times found here.

As a reminder, Friday, February 14th will be a planned Flexible Learning Day.

Have a great weekend!

Andy Nelson, Principal

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ISD 192 is dedicated to creating a positive experience for our whole learning community. We are committed to listening and responding to your experiences with our schools to continuously improve our service to you. As a part of these efforts we have once again partnered with Studer Education to provide an opportunity for you to give feedback anonymously, at the link below.

Please take a few minutes to complete the Parent/Caregiver Experience Survey at this link: Farmington Area Public Schools - Parent/Caregiver Experience Survey. (Please note that on some phones, the survey appears best if you switch to “desktop site” in your mobile browser.)

The survey is scheduled to open Monday, February 3 and remain open through Friday, February 14.

Your feedback will be used to celebrate our successes and identify areas for growth. Your input is valuable; please take a few minutes to complete the survey.

Thank you for your ongoing support and commitment to our success.

Next week DMS will come together as a community to celebrate Snow Week! Students are encouraged to show school spirit with dress-up days and we will celebrate and recognize learners with a talent show on Thursday morning. See below for dress up day themes!

Congrats to these learners who have demonstrated community, empathy, and purpose over the last week. We are so proud of all of our learners for demonstrating these core values each day.

This week we celebrated National School Counselor Week. Our Staff Tiger Stripe goes to Ms. Hogan and Ms. Slater for the empathy they show the entire learning community. They are an integral part of supporting our learners growth! #DMSpride #weare192

Families can follow this link to the Community Ed page to register for middle school sports. Track registration opens at 8:00 on Tuesday, February 4th.

https://farmington.ce.eleyo.com/courses/category/224/youth-enrichment-and-sports/middle-school-sports

This unforgettable musical theater and jazz variety show is brought to you by the FHS Choir Booster Club and Farmington Community Education, showcasing the incredible talent of FHS Choir performers, dancers, a live band, and a special Children’s Chorus of 4th-6th graders!

Showtimes:

• February 21 at 7:00 pm

• February 22 at 3:00 pm

• February 22 at 7:00 pm

Online reserved seating tickets: $5 (students/staff), $10 (adults) + fees

Tickets at the door are $15

Join us at the Boeckman Middle School Auditorium for a fully staged, family-friendly musical revue you won’t want to miss!

Buy tickets here: https://bit.ly/4hKtmOn

Will your child be ready for kindergarten in fall 2025? Now is the perfect time to enroll and ensure you don’t miss out on any important information or events. Once you enroll, make sure you schedule your free early childhood screening which checks your child’s fine and gross motor skills, vision and hearing, speech and language development and more.

Help us spread the word - invite other families with future kindergarteners to enroll and schedule their screenings too! Learn more at: https://tinyurl.com/192Kindergarten2025

Are you navigating the challenges of supporting a child living with a mental illness? Join us for Super Saturday: Family Roadtrip to Mental Health, a free virtual half-day conference on Saturday, February 8th, from 9:00 AM – 1:30 PM.

This year’s theme focuses on three unique “routes” to help families build resilience and find support in their mental health journey. With workshops on crisis planning, resources, and cultural connections, this event is tailored for parents and caregivers at every stage of their road trip.

Why Attend?

• Learn Practical Tools: Discover steps to prevent crises, navigate the children’s mental health system, and develop advocacy skills.
• Gain Insights: Explore special education rights, implicit bias in family engagement, and cultural perspectives on mental health.
• Build Community: Participate in optional sessions, such as a mock parent support group, or learn how to share your story in legislative advocacy.
• Earn 1 CEU upon completion (for professionals)

Register here if interested.

Have a younger child at home who’s 3-5 years old?

Farmington Community Education’s next Early Childhood Screening is Friday, December 6! This free screening provides a snapshot of your child’s growth, development, and learning. It’s required before entering Kindergarten in a public school and is recommended at age 3, but children can also be screened at ages 4 or 5. Interpreter services are available at no cost. For more information, visit bit.ly/FarmingtonECScreening.

We are looking for family and community volunteers to be present in our youths' lives at Dodge Middle School through Friendly Presence. We are excited to offer this volunteer opportunity and welcome the larger Farmington community into DMS. We are hoping many of you take this opportunity to be involved in our learners’ experience. For more information click here and to indicate interest please complete this google form.

Farmington School District has some great opportunities for you!

Click the link to apply for positions or reach out to the main office if interested.

ISD 192 shares community flyers for local events and activities, especially those run by non-profit, youth-serving organizations within the district, on our website. The community postings and resources can be found here.

Please take some time to visit the DMS Website where you will find an abundance of helpful information to support your middle school student. Dodge Dish is an electronic publication that you will receive via email every week from our principal Mr. Nelson and the Dodge Dish is always available on the DMS website under “Social Media”. It is very helpful to take time to read through this publication to keep updated on upcoming events and happenings.

Download your free app for Campus Parent ​app (parents/guardians) or the Campus Student app (students) from your device's mobile app store for real-time access to grades, attendance, schedules, announcements and more!

If a student will be absent, a parent/guardian must call Dodge Middle School’s attendance line at 651-460-1505 or fill out this form before 10:00 am each day of the absence. If the school does not receive a call from the parent/guardian the day of the absence, an automated phone call will be placed letting you know your student has been marked absent from school.

To request a pre-excused absence, a parent/guardian needs to complete the online “Request to Waive Unexcused Status of Absence” form. This link can also be accessed by visiting the Dodge Middle School webpage under “QUICK LINKS” and “Pre-Arranged Student Absence”.

Email: anelson@farmington.k12.mn.us
Website: https://dms.farmington.k12.mn.us/
Location: Levi P Dodge Middle School, 208th Street West, Farmington, MN, USA
Phone: 651-460-1500
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dodgetigers
Twitter: @dodgetigers