DMS Panther Pulse
October 2024
Welcome to the Panther Pulse!
Welcome to this edition of the Panther Pulse! Please read through the DMS updates below. Please check this edition throughout the month as it may continue to be updated throughout the month.
Go Panthers!
DMS Mission & Vision
Vision: Each student performing at grade level in all areas.
Important Dates
October 1 - Parents' Club Meeting 5 PM DMS Library/Virtual Link
October 2 - Custodian Appreciation Day
October 3 - Homecoming Parade
October 11 - End of Quarter 1
October 14 - Teachers Institute - No Student Attendance
October 22 - School Bus Driver Appreciation Day
October 24 & 25 - Student-Led Conferences
November 1 - Picture Retake Day
November 5 - Election Day - No School
November 12 - Parents' Club Meeting 5 PM DMS Library/Virtual Link
Newly Added Information (Updated 10.23.24)
DUNLAP COMMUNITY UNIT SCHOOL DISTRICT #323 SCHOOL CLOSING PROCEDURES
October 23, 2024
Dear Dunlap School District Parents/Guardians:
As we begin experiencing more significant winter weather, I would like to share some information on weather-related school closings so that you will be prepared for the days and weeks ahead. Student safety is always our first consideration when it comes to canceling school or events. Three factors impact the decision to close schools due to weather: road conditions, temperature, and visibility.
All school cancellations will be communicated through the phone notification system, the District website, the District Facebook page, and local media (WEEK and WMBD).
Snow Days
Snow is the most common reason for closing school. Factors considered are:
● Accumulation and drifting
● Icing
● Wind speeds (particularly for the county)
● Temperature
● Road conditions
● Forecast estimates for continued precipitation
When these conditions exist, I drive the bus routes within the district in order to get an idea of the road conditions. If the road and weather conditions are questionable, I then consult with a number of different people including, our maintenance director, area superintendents, and our transportation director. There is no single rule of thumb for accumulation amounts and much of the decision depends on the presence of blowing and/or drifting snow. Every effort will be made to make a decision and inform families as quickly as possible, but a decision to cancel school and/or events will not be based solely on a forecast.
Temperature
Extreme temperatures are a part of our winters. These temperatures impact man and machine. This year we will utilize the NOAA/National Weather Service Wind Chill Chart as part of our informed decision making process. The chart is not used as an absolute. Instead, it guides the decision making process along with the forecast (e.g., how quickly a warm-up is expected to take place). When persistent cold temperatures combined with wind chills have the potential to lead to frostbite in less than 30 minutes of exposure, it is unlikely that school will be in attendance.
Factors considered in closing school due to extreme low temperatures are:
● Temperature
● Wind
● Duration and Timing of Cold Temps
● Safe Operation of Buses
If temperatures are extremely low and we DO NOT cancel school, we ask that our parents ensure that their children wear appropriate cold weather clothing (winter coats, hats and gloves). Bus riders should remain in their homes until the bus arrives. Our bus drivers have been instructed to wait for students to come out of the house on cold weather days. Because of these delays and because of the inclement weather, buses will be late. There is no way of notifying parents when exactly their child’s bus will arrive. If a specific bus is running late due to a malfunction or accident, parents will be notified; otherwise, please assume that the bus will eventually arrive.
Late Starts
Late starts will be considered on days when conditions are such that student safety will improve (e.g., driving conditions) by delaying the start of the school day. If conditions are expected to improve quickly and/or a short delay will give crews time to clear roads, a late start may be utilized; however, late starts are very rare.
After School Events
The same process will be utilized when considering whether or not to cancel after school events. After school events will not automatically be canceled when school is canceled, as we prefer to retain some flexibility in decision-making.
We understand the impact that school cancellations have on families and never take the decision lightly. Student safety is always our first priority, and we appreciate your cooperation and patience. Hopefully this information explains the decision making process and will help you with planning.
Sincerely,
Dr. Scott Dearman, Superintendent
Middle School SEL Report Card
Dear parents/guardians,
Parent/Teacher conferences are scheduled for October 24th and 25th. At your scheduled conference time, teachers will be sharing your child’s academic report card and the SEL (social-emotional learning) report card. The purpose of the SEL report card is to communicate student proficiency on social-emotional skills related to the three BIST goals for life, as well as behaviors that can affect students’ achievement in academic subjects. Specific indicators of student success associated with each BIST goal as well as the academic behaviors are listed below:
Goal 1: I can make good choices even if I am mad.
Identify and manage one's emotions and behavior.
Analyze factors that create stress or motivate stressful performance.
Apply strategies to manage stress and to motivate successful performance.
Apply decision-making skills to deal responsibly with daily academic and social situations.
Goal 2: I can be okay even if others are not okay.
Recognize the feelings and perspectives of others.
Use communication and social skills to interact effectively with others.
Demonstrate an ability to prevent, manage, and resolve interpersonal conflicts in constructive ways.
Goal 3: I can do something even if I don't want to or if it's hard.
Develop self-awareness and self-management skills to achieve school and life success.
Demonstrate cooperation and teamwork to promote group effectiveness.
Analyze the reasons for school and societal rules.
Academic Behaviors
Complete work/homework on time.
Use time wisely to produce quality work.
Follow directions immediately and exactly.
Bring necessary materials to class.
Charge Chromebook.
Student proficiency will be reported using the following 3-point scale:
3 - Meets Grade-Level Expectations - Student independently and consistently shows an understanding of the grade-level performance expectations.
2 - Developing/Approaching Grade-Level Expectations - Only with support and redirection does the student show an understanding of the grade-level performance expectations.
1 - Not Yet Meeting Grade-Level Expectations - Even with support and reinforcement, the student has yet to show an understanding of the grade-level performance expectations.
We look forward to seeing each of you Thursday and Friday. Remember these are student-led conferences and students should attend with you. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thanks,
Antonio L. Johnson
Principal
Dunlap Middle School
DMS Student-Led Conferences
DMS Families,
The staff at Dunlap Middle School is looking forward to hosting student-led conferences and having the opportunity to visit with our families to discuss your child’s academic and social-emotional development. We have been working diligently in preparation for our annual conferences to provide quality feedback to your family. Please review the important information below:
Conferences will be held on Thursday, October 24, 2024, from 12 PM-7 PM and Friday, October 25, 2024, from 7 AM-1 PM.
Use the Sign Up Genius links below to sign up for a time. Choose a date & time using the links. Please be sure to include your child’s name when signing up online.
Click on the appropriate grade level and date below:
These conferences are student-led and your child should plan to attend as they will lead the conference while teachers will stop by for a short time.
We look forward to seeing you on October 24th, and October 25th. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Antonio L. Johnson
Principal
Dunlap Middle School
September Panther Word of Pride
The September Panther Word of Pride was "prepared. Teachers recognized several students who planned ahead and came to class ready to learn. Congratulations to last month's winners!
Caterpillar Volunteer Service Match
Is there a Caterpillar employee in your household? Have you heard about the Caterpillar Volunteer Service Match? Check out this great way your volunteer hours can be turned into money for the DMS Parents' Club.
https://www.caterpillar.com/en/company/caterpillar-foundation/volunteerism.html
DHS Homecoming Parade
2024 Homecoming Parade Information:
- Parade Date: Thursday, October 3rd, 2024
- Parade entry form due: Sunday, September 29th, 2024
- Parade Line-up Location: North Park
- Parade Set-up & Line-up: 4:00 pm
- Parade Start Time: 4:45 pm
- Theme: Eagle Island- Beach & Tropical
Check here for more updates.
Also, on Friday, Oct. 4th "Eagle Fans" are invited to stay seated following the varsity football game vs. Canton to enjoy a firework spectacular! Fans will enjoy our firework show to music as we celebrate our staff, students, and alumni! Thank you to the TD Club, Country Financial Josh Riekena, and the DHS Homecoming Committee for their support!!
HOI Basketball Workouts
Any student in 3rd-8th grades interested in building or improving their basketball skill is invited to attend upcoming HOI Fall Basketball workouts beginning Sunday, October 6th through Sunday, October 27th. All workouts will take place at Dunlap Valley. There will be a strong emphasis on shooting off the catch, shooting off the dribble, and ball handling skills. For more information visit https://www.heartofillinoisbasketball.com/fall-workouts/2024-fall-workouts. This is a great opportunity to get ready for the upcoming basketball season. Last year's sessions did fill up so sign up soon.
Picture Retake Day - November 1
Picture retake day is scheduled for November 1, 2024. Any student needing a retake, including those that were absent on picture day should have their picture taken/retaken. Students will need to return their package on picture retake day (unless it was a digital only package).
Reality Fair by CEFCU
Eighth grade students participated in CEFCU's Reality Fair. Students were assigned careers, then challenged to budget for "life needs" like housing, transportation, utilities, childcare, and hobbies.
Thank you Mrs. Taylor and CEFCU for bringing this event to DMS!
District Attendance Policy Changes
A district goal for the coming school year will be to improve student attendance. Our attendance practices and policies have been aligned to the Illinois State Board of Education requirements and Illinois School Law. Students will be allowed up to 7 days per semester as excused for illness, mental health, etc... Absences for travel or other reasons not excused by a doctor beyond the 7 days will be considered unexcused. Make-up work and credit for unexcused absences will not be provided and students will receive zeros for this assignments. Please make every effort to avoid extended absences due to travel outside of the scheduled breaks from school. A missed school day is a missed opportunity for student learning. Additional information on the attendance policy is available in the student handbook.
Panther Moment of the Month - September
DMS Parents' Club
New To Dunlap Middle or curious about what is going on at our school? Attend a DMS PTO meeting. Our meetings provide updates from our Principal as well as needs that are identified and discussed to support our students, staff and school.
DMS PTO meetings are held at DMS in the school library. We also offer a virtual option by clicking here. All of our meetings begin at 5 PM.
October 1
November 12
December 3
January 7
February 4
March 4
April 1
May 6
Don’t worry the time commitment for middle school PTO is NOT as intense as elementary PTO positions. Our meetings are all after school/work once a month. We have many roles on our board which helps us break up the duties so they are more manageable. Please consider volunteering for a position during the 2024-25 school year. You can find out about any open volunteer spots by attending our September meeting! There is a spot for everyone at our PTO so please join us!
Questions - contact presidentdmspto@gmail.com
8th Grade Washington D.C. Trip
Eighth grade students have received information regarding the 2025 class trip to Washington D.C. The opportunity to visit Washington D.C. has become an exciting trip for many middle school students. Next year’s trip is scheduled for May 29 through June 2, 2025 with an itinerary that may include various historical sites such as Mt. Vernon, Arlington National Cemetery, the U.S. Capital, a host of national monuments and others in the Washington D.C. area. Feel free to review the informational slides and registration form below for those that were not be able attend the informational meeting.
Washington DC Information and Registration Form
Informational PowerPoint from Meeting
Thanks,
Antonio L. Johnson
Principal
Dunlap Middle School
Housekeeping Items Below
Daily Announcements
Mandatory School Drills
Fire Drills:
August 20, 2024
September 3, 2024
September 12, 2024 with the Dunlap Fire Department present
Law Enforcement Drill:
- August 22, 2024
- August 26, 2024 with School Resource Officers present
Severe Weather Drill
September 19, 2024
March 10, 2025
- TBD
DMS Bell Schedule
The DMS school day starts at 8:20 AM. School is dismissed at 3:30 PM on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and 3:00 PM on Wednesday for PLCs. Our bells schedule can be found on our website by clicking here.
Traffic Flow at DHS/DMS Campus
Do NOT stop in the left-hand lane. All DMS drop-offs should be done in the right-hand lane close to the front door crosswalk.
Also, when picking your child up in the PM all traffic will flow through the DMS parking lot. Students should wait close to the front of the building to be picked up. Please be on the lookout for our students as you drive through our parking lot!
Communication of Absences & Early Dismissals
It is best to communicate first thing in the morning or the previous day so that we can update our attendance accordingly or so that a pass can be written for your child. If you have your child bring in a note, please have them bring it to the office upon arrival that day.
School Security & Visitors
In an effort to maintain the safest environment possible for our children, security measures have been implemented in all buildings throughout the district. All school doors, including the front entrance, will be locked during school hours. Visitors to the school will need to press the buzzer located to the left of the main entrance and wait to be let in by office staff.
Upon entering the building, visitors will be asked to present a US government issued ID such as a Driver’s License, which can either be scanned or manually entered into our electronic sign in system. Once entry is approved, a badge will be issued that identifies the visitor, the date, and the purpose of his/her visit. Upon exiting the school, visitors will be asked to give their visitors badge to the office staff when checking out.
Tech Support for Students
The District has a 1:1 Technology website that will help answer questions regarding Canvas FAQ, Chromebook care and Google/Chromebook FAQ.
If you are experiencing any issues with your Chromebook, and cannot find the answers to your questions, please contact the Dunlap IT help desk at helpdesk@dunlapstudents.net.
Classroom teachers and the office may not be able to support any issues with technology aside from general login instructions for district platforms.
Lunch Accounts
Dear Dunlap CUSD #323 Parents and Guardians:
Welcome Back! The new school year is fast approaching and the Dunlap Food Service
department is busy preparing for our students to arrive. Please take a moment to review some
important information that will assist you in a successfully navigating the food service program.
Below are the prices of school meals for the 2024-25 school year:
School lunch prices for school year 2024-25
Grades K-5 - $2.65
Grades 6-8 - $2.85
Grades 9-12 - $3.05
Reduced Price Lunch - $0.40
Milk - $0.50 per carton
Free/Reduced Applications Available August 1, 2024. Apply online using MySchoolApps. Use the
link below.
https://www.dunlapcusd.net/cms/one.aspx?pageId=3071539
Special Note: If approved for Free or Reduced meal benefits and your student needs a milk for
their lunch brought from home, the student will need to purchase at .50 cents. Milk is only
provided with the school meal.
Adding Money to Lunch Accounts: Middle school students can add money as they go through the lunch line using cash or check.
Preferred Payment for all schools, MySchoolbucks.com. See link below.
*Please be advised, (All Schools) if you deposit money on your child’s account after 9:30 am
using myschoolbucks.com, there’s a good chance the deposit will not post to your child’s
lunch account until after 12:00pm.
Archived Editions
Connect with Us!
Email: ajohnson@dunlapcusd.net
Website: https://dms.dunlapcusd.net/
Location: 5200 West Cedar Hills Drive, Dunlap, IL, USA
Phone: 309-243-7778
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DunlapMiddleSchool/
Twitter: @DMSPanthers