Panther Parent Update

De Portola is a welcoming diverse learning community. We foster individuality by empowering and developing students’ communication, curiosity, and critical thinking skills through a growth mindset. We are Panthers! Rooooaaaarrrrrrrr!!

4/28 - 5/8 - State Testing

5/2 - Panther Parent Bowling Night

5/7 - Mr. White's Taylor Guitar Field Trip

5/9 - 8th Grade Career Day (Period 1)

5/9 - ASB Knotts Berry Farm Field Trip

5/13 - 6th Grade Field Trip (SeaWorld)

5/13 - Spring Band and Choir Concerts

5/13 - Textbook Check In 7th & 8th Grade (PE Classes)

5/14 - Textbook Check In 6th Grade (Math Classes)

5/15 - AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam

5/16 - Band/Choir Knotts Field Trip

5/20 - Foundation Meeting @ 4PM OFF SITE

5/22 - Spanish Medal Ceremony 5PM

5/26 - Memorial Day (No School)

5/27 - Yearbook Distribution (Period 1)

5/28 - 8th Grade Promotion Practice 8:40AM-9:40AM

5/28 - 8th Grade Field Day 9:45AM-12PM

5/29 - 8th Grade Promotion 9:15am

5/29 - Last Day of School (1PM Dismissal)

8/11 - First Day of School 2025-26

A huge shoutout to all the families that came last Thursday to enjoy lunch with their students as well as visit their student's classrooms. We had almost 400 family members on campus, largest turn out to date. We hope you all enjoyed this new format and look forward to having you all on campus again.

We begin our state testing this Tuesday 4/29. We are asking families to encourage/remind students to be well rested, charge Chromebooks nightly and to eat a nutritious breakfast. All students have access to free breakfast available at the DPMS Cafeteria from 7:30 - 7:50 AM. Try to limit your student's absences during the next two weeks. Also, note the below testing period times to try and schedule appointments before or after this window.

Click Here to Purchase Ticket

Please take a moment to view our new Panther Parent Bowling Night flier. Tickets are now available to purchase, please use the QR code below. $60 includes OGGIEs Dinner, Bowling, Games and 1 Beer/Wine ticket.

We are reaching out to kindly request donations of gift cards in any amount and from any retailer. These donations will help support the De Portola Middle School Foundation’s fundraising efforts, which directly benefit our school and students. The gift cards will be used as prizes in our upcoming raffle at the DP Bowling Night. Your generosity is greatly appreciated, and we thank you for supporting our school community! Donations can be given to the office.

Dear San Diego Unified Families,

At the San Diego Unified School District, we are committed to ensuring that every student is set up for success—both inside and outside the classroom.

One way you can help make that vision a reality is by completing a short survey that directly impacts how much state funding your child’s school receives—just two quick questions. No income documentation is required. Your information is completely confidential.

When you complete the Local Control Funding Formula Survey, your student and family benefit with additional funding for classroom resources and technology, afterschool and summer programs.

This is one of the simplest and most powerful ways to support your child’s education. Please complete the survey in any of the following ways:

Online via the unique link emailed to you from survey@sandiegounified.org via SurveyMonkey

In-person, by printing out and returning the paper form HERE to your child’s school

Through the PowerSchool Parent Portal (click HERE or scan the QR code below for easy access). The LCFF Form icon is located in the lower left corner. If you don't have a Parent Portal account, click HERE to view a tutorial

Together, we can ensure every school gets the resources it needs—and every child gets the opportunities they deserve.

We wanted to let you know that we have seen significant improvements with time in class since the students have been using the health office bathrooms. We have made some adjustments to the bathroom availability during instructional time:

7:30 – 8:00 Bungalow bathrooms (4 stalls), PE bathrooms (6 stalls), Health Office (2 stalls)

8:00 – 9:00 Health Office (2 stalls)

9:00 – 11:00 700 Bathrooms (8 stalls)

11:00 – 12:00 Health Office (2 stalls)

12:00 – 12:30 LUNCH Bungalow bathrooms & Health Office

12:30 – 2:30 Health Office

Additionally, we open restrooms during passing period and all students have access to the bathrooms in PE building during the first and last five minutes of their PE period.

Message repeated from February 9, 2025

There have been continued incidents of students selling items on campus out of their backpacks. One student had various items such as chips, candy and soda and was carrying around a significant amount of cash. This is not allowed. Please speak to your student and let them know that this is not allowed, and items will be confiscated for parents to pick up after school.

Please review the below Promotion Requirements with your 8th grade students.

• You can only have one “D” or one “F” (no combinations) on final report card in S2 column.
• No “U’s” for citizenship, period!
• Beginning Grading Period 4 (March 17th), no more than 9 tardies.
• Beginning Grading Period 4 (March 17th), no suspensions.
• Deadline for raising grades: May 16th!

If you have any questions/concerns, please contact your student's counselor;

Students with the last name that begins with A-L - Mrs. Hudson Lhudson@sandi.net

Students with the last name that begins with M-Z - Mrs. Ericson - Aericson@sandi.net

Homework Help List 24/25

Promotion will be held on Thursday, May 29 at 9:15am.

Repeated information from previous weeks.

Yearbook Pre-sales will end on May 13th. If a yearbook is not purchased before that date, you will need to wait until Yearbook Distribution on May 27th. The yearbook is $60 and can be purchased at www.yearbookforever.com.

Please email Ms. McIntosh with any questions at smcintosh@sandi.net. Get yours today before they sell out!

We are currently working on the next year's schedule. To make this schedule as accurate as possible please fill out this google form if you student is not attending De Portola next school year.

School dismisses at 2:30. We only allow early release at 2:00pm or earlier. If you child has an appointment and needs to leave, please email Ms. Charisma at cjohnson7@sandi.net or leave her a message her at 619-605-4800 and press 3. She will send a pass and have your student waiting in the office at the expected departure time. This is not a perfect system, but we do our best to accommodate everyone. If your child has PE at your time of departure and you have not given us prior notice, it can take up to 20 minutes to locate your child, send them to locker room, and head up to office. Planning ahead makes this a very easy process.

Full day absences need to be reported to Charisma Johnson at cjohnson7@sandi.net. Please include your student's full name, DOB, reason for illness and the day or dates they are absent.

We do not accept food deliveries for students. Additionally, parents cannot drop off fast food for their student (Subway Included). If a student forgets their lunch, we offer free lunch every day. If a parent drops off a student's lunch bag, we will have the student come up to office at 12:00pm. If a parent brings lunch from Cotijas (or anywhere else), we ask that you stay and enjoy it with your student.

For the 2024-25 school year, De Portola Middle School will provide both BREAKFAST and LUNCH for all students. Breakfast will be served in the lunch arbor from 7:30 - 7:50 AM. Students just need to input their six digit student ID number and make their food selection.