The Erie County Music Educator's Association (ECMEA) hosted solo festivals for Elementary Students on January 6, 2025 and Junior High Students on January 13, 2025. The ECMEA has been supporting students' music education for over 70 years in Western New York. The Elementary Solo Festival was hosted by Depew UFSD. We had over 70 of our students as well as our music faculty participating as hosts. We had many students from all over Erie County participating in the festival. It was a positive experience for those involved, and really puts our district in the spotlight in a good way. We received many compliments about our students' positive attitudes, hustle and helpfulness from teachers around the county. It's a tribute to the hard work we do with our students here in Depew and we are proud of how they represented our district. Congratulations to all those who have earned spots on the All County Rosters and those that participated in auditions this month.

On Friday, January 10, 2025, DMS held their annual Spelling Bee in the high school auditorium. Twenty middle school students competed for the chance to be crowned the 2025 Spelling Bee Champion. The contest lasted 18 rounds before the championship round came down to two spellers. In the end, 8th grader Selena P. won the bee spelling with the word “flailed”. In second place was seventh grader, Margarita V.M. Selena was awarded a plaque and a $100 Visa gift card. Margarita also received a plaque and a $50 Visa gift card.

Sixth grade teacher, Mr. Pat Uhteg, served as pronouncer, and the judges were middle school teachers, Mrs. Melissa Pilon, Mrs. Leah Robinson, and Mr. Don Teresa. The program was coordinated by seventh grade teacher, Mr. Sal Carlino. The other spelling contestants were Jackson B., Rabby B., Caiden B., De’Mario B., Torryn B., Izabella B., Cross C., Jenna D., Ashley E., Carson H., Nicholas K., Mason N., Cameron N., Kendall P., Braydon E., Ananya V. and Cameron W.

Selena and Margarita will now have the chance to compete in the Regional Spelling Bee with a chance to move on to the Scripps National Spelling Bee this spring in Washington D.C. The video to the event is: https://events.locallive.tv/events/165929

Our Innovation Station Cardboard Arcade Field Trip was one that everyone who went to will remember forever. It was truly a great experience and I took so much from it.

It is crazy to think of how much work everyone put into their projects over the past few weeks, from working outside of school to working on them during free periods. We first started off by thinking of a game to design, we then gave each person in our group a title like; Leader, Artist, Coder, and the Pitcher (writes the pitch). Once we had some things together we made some ideas and started working. We used Scratch, Makey Makey and some other websites to create the effects, sounds, and to keep the score for our games. Once everything was complete we tested and made sure everything worked well, and looked good, now it was time for the field trip. We went to the KeyBank Center and set up our games, as players started to walk around. We showed the players how to play our games and then after an hour the first session was over, after that we went to the rink and watched the Buffalo Sabres practice. We then headed to the player's meeting room where we ate lunch, found out who won and received our certificates and trophies. Lastly we went to test out some games and have some fun.

Our Innovation Station Cardboard Arcade Field Trip was a great experience, where we able to talk with other kids our age, and learned how everyone did things differently and how we could do things better. We also talked with some of the judges who came to our games and we showed them how we set things up and what challenges we had faced. We all took so much out of this field trip, and it definitely gave me some confidence in being able to share my ideas with others.

I want to thank Mrs. Rosch for teaching us how to be innovative, the Sabres for letting us watch them practice, Mrs. Kitchen for setting up the whole event, Dr. Rabey for making this trip possible and everyone involved in the Cardboard Arcade Field Trip for making it such a fun experience.

Written by Samantha S., 8th Grade Student

From meeting other schools, to learning about ideas at the end of the day it was an amazing time. When we first arrived we saw tons of games set up everywhere, and every single one was completely different from one another. Some of these games looked like they took months to set up. We all sat down in award groups and waited as the judges talked about general information like where the bathrooms were located. Then we were off to play the games. We walked around and tried tons of different games from magnet hockey to wizard hunting. Every game was unique and every game was good in its own way. After we played for about an hour we went into the Sabres main arena where we got to meet tons of people from different schools. They were all nice and they were all different. One of the people we met was Robert who worked at a KFC but was just typing to gain experience so he could become a civil engineer, it just goes to show how different we all are. We then headed back for the award ceremony. At first it looked pretty bad for Depew until they announced the Players Choice Award and one of their groups had actually won. We all cheered as they got their trophies. After we were done we went back to the playing center and made sure to try the rest of the games. In the end it was an awesome day getting to meet new people, play a bunch of games, and share ideas.

Written by Carson H., 8th Grader

On Tuesday January 28, 2025, 8th graders and their families were invited to attend the Freshman Orientation hosted at Depew High School. The High School administration and counselors presented important information about the transition to high school, credits needed to graduate and elective course offerings. Our 8th grade students then toured several elective classrooms to learn about what elective classes they may be interested in at the high school. It was a great and informative night.

Conferences to discuss your child’s course request(s) will be scheduled by our Middle School Counselors. Parents are encouraged to be part of this process. If you have any questions or would like to participate in course selections with your child, an appointment may be arranged by calling your child’s school counselor Joanne Ryder at 686-5052 or Teresa Banasik at 686-5054.

If you were unable to attend, please see the PDF links below to review the presentation that was shared as well as a copy of the 9th grade course selection guide.

Depew Middle School believes in creating memorable experiences for our students that foster camaraderie, creativity, and a sprinkle of holiday cheer. On Friday, December 20th, our sixth graders participated in a delightful Team Building Day, filled with exciting activities that brought the joy of the season right into our classrooms.

The day began with a festive spirit as students rotated through different classes during the first three periods. Each classroom was transformed into a winter wonderland, bustling with holiday-themed activities designed to engage and spark creativity. Students had the opportunity to dive into various crafts and make holiday cards.

In addition to crafts, students participated in a series of fun, holiday-themed games. These weren’t just your ordinary games—they were designed to encourage teamwork and collaboration among classmates. These activities contributed not only to the holiday cheer but also strengthened friendships and relationships within our sixth-grade community.

After a morning filled with creativity and teamwork, the excitement continued as all students gathered in the High School Auditorium for a special viewing of the beloved holiday classic, "Elf." With the lights dimmed the auditorium transformed into a cozy movie theater. The laughter that erupted as Buddy, the quirky elf, navigated the human world and received laughter from every student in the room. It was a wonderful collective experience that reminded everyone of the joys of friendship, family, and, of course, the spirit of giving.

Following the movie, students returned to their classrooms for even more festive fun! Teachers and students had planned additional holiday activities and games, allowing everyone to unwind and enjoy the post-movie excitement. This time not only reinforced our atmosphere of fun and inclusion, but also fostered an environment where students could connect with peers in a relaxed and cheerful atmosphere.

The day truly encapsulated the essence of the holiday season—togetherness, joy, and the celebration of friendships. It was wonderful to see the students fully engage in each activity, showcasing their creativity and willingness to work together as a team. As a school community, we aim to ensure that every child feels included and valued, and days like this help reinforce that goal.

We look forward to more fun, learning, and shared experiences in the coming year.

Warm wishes,

The Depew Middle School Grade 6 Team

"Mrs. Van Kuren's class had a "Because of Winn-Dixie" party just like they had in the book! We colored dog picture's like Sweetie Pie Thomas, ate Otis's dill pickles, Gloria Dump's World Famous Punch, and Miss Franny Blocks great grandfather's Littmus Lozenges! The students really enjoyed following Opal and Winn-Dixie on their adventures with new friends throughout the story!"

In 6th grade we watched a video about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The 8th grade WEB leaders asked us questions about the video and we discussed how it tied into the character traits of kindness and acceptance. We then worked in homerooms to create an "I Have A Dream" Hands Board to celebrate student differences. We traced our hands on a piece of paper and wrote down things we liked about ourselves or that represented us. Then we cut out the hands and we joined the hands together to represent love, unity and caring. We talked about how we have the freedom to be our own person and we should respect people for who they are. This was a fun activity.

Written by Colton R. and Emma V., 6th grade students

We started our W.E.B. activity watching a short video on the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Students discussed the idea that all people are able to live in a world where differences are respected. We drew a block person and we cut out each part of the body and mixed them all up in a pile. We then chose a random piece for the head, body and legs making a unique person. We discussed how all people should be valued for who they are are and we talked about our similarities and differences. We talked about what makes us and our classmates unique. Each group introduced them to the class and explained the block person's unique qualities. We ended the class watching Dr. Martin Luther King's "I Have A Dream" and "The Mountain Top" speeches. We learned that it is OK to be different and we should respect all people for their unique characteristics.

Written by Nick K. and King C., 7th grade students in Mr. Pilon's HR

In 8th grade, we watched a portion of the "I Have A Dream Speech" and talked about what Dr. King hoped the world would look like in the future. We then completed a digital vision board using Google slides including inspirational quotes, words and images that represented the things we wanted in life and our dreams. Students included things that we cared about, that we wanted to improve, that we wanted to do or accomplish, personal goals, vision for the future and how we see the world. We were then able to see what everyone created and had a chance to appreciate how others see the world and compare our similarities and differences. The purpose of this activity was to create goals and show that if we believe in ourselves we can accomplish anything.

Written by Byron B., 8th grade student

DMS wants to congratulate all of our modified sports teams and thank them for making us proud this season! Thank you for all the hard work and effort that you have put into your sport. Congratulations to all DMS students who are competing at the JV and Varsity levels this winter. WE hope you finish your seasons strong! Go Wildcats!

Spring sports sign ups are open. Spring sports are boys and girls outdoor track & field, boys baseball, girls softball, boys and girls lacrosse, and boys tennis. The spring season of modified sports begins on March 24, 2025.

Depew Athletics Game Schedules linked below:

Any 7th or 8th graders interested in playing modified hockey should enroll on the link below. Sweet Home, Depew, Tonawanda and North Tonawanda middle schools have a combined team and are eligible to tryout. Tryouts will be Sunday, March 2 (evening time and location is TBA). Anyone wishing to tryout must advance register and have proof of AAU insurance (I will send those instructions closer to the date).

Anyone interested in trying out should register at the following link at your earliest convenience: https://forms.gle/XgZCmQ4SkvAvMHeY9

DMS Yearbook's are on sale for $30.00 and will remain on sale until May 8, 2025. See the link below to order yours today!

Our next Family Engagement Night is on Tuesday February 25 in the DMS cafeteria. Refreshments will be served. Please use this link to register https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScPM2rrNkJGsPXyfgQkpo88aL9Fcrkw8eyYDBwO8Vydb5hpjQ/viewform.

If your student is struggling with getting homework done, needs some help with organization or study skills we have Homework Helpers available Monday through Thursday from 2:20-3:10. Students staying after for homework helpers are eligible to ride the late bus if needed.

Please remember to have your child layer clothes for comfort during the day. Also have your child bring a water bottle so they can stay hydrated throughout the day.

Remember to keep your child home if they are not feeling well to help control the spread of germs and viruses to other students and staff. Students who are experiencing fever, diarrhea or vomiting need to remain home for 24 hours with no symptoms and no medication before they can return to school. Please remember to send in a note with your child when they return to school.

If you have any health related questions please contact Lynne Martin, DMS School Nurse at x5042.

2/3 - No School - Reorganization Day

2/12 - W.E.B. Wednesday

2/17-2/21 - Mid Winter Recess - No School

2/25 - 6th Grade Honor's Breakfast

2/25- School Board Meeting @ 6:30 PM in DHS Cafeteria

2/26 - 7th Grade Honor's Breakfast

2/27 - 8th Grade Honor's Breakfast

3/7 - No School - Superintendent's Conference Day

3/7 - ECMEA Jr. High Concert @ East Aurora HS

3/12 - W.E.B. Wednesday

3/14-3/15 - Elementary ECMEA Concert @ Kleinhans Music Hall

3/14 - 3/15 - DHS/DMS Musical in DHS Auditorium

3/18 - School Board Meeting @ 6:30 PM in DHS Cafeteria

3/21 - DMS Talent Show

3/24 - Start of Modified Sports

3/31 - Spring Festival of Bands in DHS Auditorium

There are so many clubs and activities to get involved with at DMS. Club dates and times are posted outside the Counseling Center, during announcements, in student emails and on our Depew Middle Website under events. Monday through Thursday we have a late bus that leaves around 3:15 PM. Joining clubs can be a great way to meet new people with similar interests. We hope to see you there.

• Art Club
• Board Game Club
• Computer Club
• Family & Consumer Science Club
  
• Foreign Language Club
• Jazz Ensemble
• Math Club
• Newspaper, Depew Voice
• Science Club
• Show Choir
• Social Studies Club
• Technology Club
• Yearbook

Depew Middle School Main Office

• (716) 686-5045

Attendance Office

• (716) 686-5055

Health Office

• (716) 686-5042

Counseling Center

• (716) 686-5055

Transportation

• (716) 686-5155

Athletic Office

• (716) 686-5078