<![CDATA[DMS Principal Notes - DMS Principal Notes]]>Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:38:53 +0700Weebly<![CDATA[Thanksgiving Break Nov. 23-27]]>Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:39:25 +0700http://dmsnotes.weebly.com/1/post/2009/11/thanksgiving-break-nov-23-27.htmlWe will be on Thanksgiving break Nov. 23-27.  Dahlstrom, as well as our central administration building, will also be closed.  Students will return on Monday, Nov. 30

When we return, we will have three short weeks before our winter break.  It is important for students to be in attendance during this critical time.  Our students will take comprehensive semester exams in each of their subjects the last two days of the semester, Dec. 17 and 18.  These exams will count as one-seventh of a students entire semester average, so attendance on these two days is very, very important.  We will release students at 1:30 on both these days, and buses will run their usual routes, just earlier.

When we return from Thanksgiving, I will have a more comprehensive list of important dates for you as we end the fall semester and start the spring semester.  Happy Thanksgiving!!]]><![CDATA[We had a great program for our Veterans!]]>Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:09:53 +0700http://dmsnotes.weebly.com/1/post/2009/11/we-had-a-great-program-for-our-veterans.htmlWhat a wonderful program we had this morning for our veterans, students, and families!  Our Master of Ceremony was our DMS Student Council President Kenny B., and he did a fantastic job.  If you were not able to join us, we will have pictures up by Thursday outside our office.  Our band and choir students, our 6th grade theater students, and Dahlstrom boy scouts and girl scouts all contributed to make our program a huge success.

The Thanksgiving holidays are fast approaching.  Our students will be out of school November 23-27.  They will return on November 30 for three weeks, and then be out again for our winter break!  Please remember that all students must take a comprehensive semester exam in every class the last two days of the semester.  Attendance is very important for these two days or the students may have to return in January to complete exams.  However, school will be out at 1:30 on each of these days (Dec. 17 and 18) and buses will run their usual routes.

School picture retakes will be on November 19. 

Report cards will be sent home with students this Friday, November 13th.  Be sure to ask to see it!]]><![CDATA[Please join us as we celebrate Veteran's Day!]]>Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:14:16 +0700http://dmsnotes.weebly.com/1/post/2009/11/please-join-us-as-we-celebrate-veterans-day.htmlAmerica has a sacred trust to care for those who defend her.  From the warriors who stormed the beaches at Normandy on D-Day to the brave men and women returning from Iraq and Afganistan, our veterans share a legacy of service that crosses generational lines and upholds the values upon which our nation was founded: service to a cause greater than self.

All veterans and their families are invited to join the students and staff at Dahlstrom MS on Tuesday, November 10 for a Veteran's Day celebration.  We will have coffee at 9:15 in the cafeteria for the adults, and then the students and teachers will enter the gym at 9:55.  Each branch of service will walk into our gym accompanied by Dahlstrom boy and girl scouts and their service flag as our band plays the individual service anthems.  The program will include many student led performances.  Veterans who are relatives of Dahlstrom students are invited to stay after the ceremony for pictures. 

Through service in uniform, veterans have invested of themselves in the security, safety, and well-being of our nation.  Please join us as we honor and pay tribute to our veterans!]]><![CDATA[Is your child Gifted and Talented?]]>Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:38:00 +0700http://dmsnotes.weebly.com/1/post/2009/10/is-your-child-gifted-and-talented.htmlHave you ever wondered if your child is gifted or talented?  Do you know what it means to have a gifted and talented (GT) child?  To find out the answer to these and other questions about being  GT or having a GT child, please plan on coming to Dahlstrom for a meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 3 at 6:15 p.m. in our cafeteria.  GT specialist Dixie Kingston will speak to parents and other interested comminity members about what a GT student looks or acts like, both at school and at home.  Come get your questions about GT answered on Tuesday!!  This meeting is open to all parents and community members regardless of the school your child attends or the grade they are currently in.

]]><![CDATA[Flu shots have been rescheduled]]>Wed, 21 Oct 2009 08:51:25 +0700http://dmsnotes.weebly.com/1/post/2009/10/flu-shots-have-been-rescheduled.html

Dahlstrom will host flu shots for our students on Monday, Oct. 26 at 9:00 in our nurse's office.  These are the regular flu shots, not the H1N1 shots or nasal mist.  We have not been contacted by the Hays County Health Dept. about when the H1N1 will be available.  We will let everyone know as soon as they do.  Cost for the flu shots is $10, and there are a couple of forms parents need to fill out.  Please come a little early if you do not have the forms and we will provide them for you.

]]><![CDATA[Red Ribbon Week]]>Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:34:13 +0700http://dmsnotes.weebly.com/1/post/2009/10/red-ribbon-week.htmlThe week of October 19-23 is Red Ribbon Week.  Our students are encouraged to stay drug free by participating in fun activities each day.  Monday's theme is "Be smart, don't start".  Tuesday's theme is "Give drugs the boot (and dress like a cowboy).  Wednesday is "We can both be drug free (dress as twins).  Thursday is "Drugs are no thriller" (dress as Michael Jackson in any decade! ) And Friday's theme is "Stay in the game, be drug free" and wear your favorite sports team shirt (including Dahlstrom shirts).  These theme days were created by the students in our student council.  While it is fun for them to participate in these dress up days, the underlying message is more important and that is keeping our students drug free.  We will also be making announcements each day about staying drug free. 

If you get a chance, come by the school and see the colorful "chain" we have started in the cafeteria that details acts of kindness our students have performed or witnessed.  Our goal is to increase the size of the chain all year long as our students continue to do and receive acts of kindness!!

 

 

 

 

 ]]><![CDATA[Rachel's Challenge]]>Fri, 09 Oct 2009 07:20:02 +0700http://dmsnotes.weebly.com/1/post/2009/10/rachels-challenge.htmlTreat others as you want to be treated.  Dream big and believe in yourself.  Appreciate everyone; mock no one.  Practice the power of positive gossip. 

These are the challenges presented to our students and staff during Wednesday's Rachel's Challenge program at the PAC.  We had a one hour program about Rachel Scott, the first student killed at the Columbine HS shooting 10 years ago.  In Rachel's short 17 years of life, she firmly believed that a single act of kindness can start a chain reaction touching many people's lives.  Our students were given the above challenges to live by.  They have begun creating our own Dahlstrom "chain" of kindness.  The students are writing on strips of paper an act of kindness done by them or to them.  We hope to encircle the cafeteria with our chain!  Here are a few of the comments they have written:

"I became friends with the new kid.  I stopped a bully.  I hugged a person who was crying.  Let no one down!  I partnered with someone in class who is usually partner-less!  Believe in yourself and never give up!  Everyone was making fun of the new student, but I was nice to him.  I mowed my neighbor's lawn because he is handicapped.  I collected school supplies for kids who couldn't afford them.  I became friends with the bully who was bullying me!  I sat with someone who was alone at a big table.  Don't point out people's flaws.  Help them to overcome them.  I gave food to a friend when he forgot his lunch.  I sacrificed 1/3 of my lunchtime to pick up trash off the floor after Social Studies without being asked.  You changed my life."

Today, Friday, October 9th will be the first of our bi-weekly meetings of the newly established Friend of Rachel (FOR) club for students who would like to continue the chain reaction of kindness.  Students will work as a group to facilitate, create, and maintain a welcoming, safe campus filled with kindness and compassion.  FOR will begin by meeting during all three lunch  periods and with input from students, they will decide when is the best time to meet.  Mr. Larry Hufford has volunteered to head up this group for the year.  If you would like to be involved, please contact him at jhufford@austin.rr.com.   He welcomes all parents who would like to be a part of the wonderful program.

There is no school on Monday, October 12.  Students will return on Tuesday for a short school week.]]><![CDATA[Rachel's Challenge Oct. 7]]>Wed, 30 Sep 2009 08:57:24 +0700http://dmsnotes.weebly.com/1/post/2009/09/rachels-challenge-oct-7.html

I hope many of you are able to join us for the second year presentation of Rachel's Challenge.  Rachel Scott was the first student killed in the Colunbine school shooting incident 10 years ago.  Her family started an organization based on Rachel's journal entries found after her tragic death.  This program, which our wonderful PTA is sponsoring, is the second year program.  Rachel's Challenge promotes kindness, compassion, and character development.  One of Rachel's favorite quotes : "I have this theory that if one person can go out of their way to show compassion, then it will start a chain reaction of the same.  People will never know how far a little kindness can go."

Our students will have a full morningng on Oct. 7.  We will start with a full school evacuation drill (required) at 9:00, where students will empty out the school and get on school buses.  Then we will go to the PAC for the Rachel's Challenge presentation at 9:30.  At 10:30 we will go back to Dahlstrom and have our bus evacuation drill (required).  Students will be back in time for lunch and/or 4th period.  Community members and families are cordially invited to come hear the RC presentation at the Hays CISD Performing Arts Center.

To keep the RC message alive, we will have a Friends of Rachel (FOR) club.  One of our parents, Mr. Larry Hufford, has volunteered to be in charge of this group for the school year.
He will meet regularly with the students, mostly during lunch, encouraging them to befriend other students, make new friends, and be kind to each other.  I encourage parents to become a part of the FOR group.

We hope many of you are able to join us on October 7 at 9:30 at the PAC.

]]><![CDATA[Flu shot information]]>Fri, 25 Sep 2009 06:32:46 +0700http://dmsnotes.weebly.com/1/post/2009/09/flu-shot-information.htmlPlease look for the link on this page for information about flu shots for your student here at Dahlstrom.  This is a vaccine for the regular flu, NOT the H1N1 flu.  That vaccine is supposed to be available sometime in October.  We will let you know if we are able to bring that vaccine to the students. 

Flu shots will be given to students at Dahlstom on Tuesday, October 6 from 9:00-10:30.  The link above has the required forms that must accompany each student receiving the vaccine.  The cost is $10, and checks may be made out tho the HCISD WELL Clinic.

Please continue to remind your children to wash their hands, cover their mouths when coughing or sneezing, and not share food or drinks with others at school.  If students are ill or have a fever, please keep them at home until they are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication.

We had a great turn-out at last night's Open House.  If you were able to join us, I hope you enjoyed it!]]><![CDATA[PTA meeting and Open House this week]]>Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:59:53 +0700http://dmsnotes.weebly.com/1/post/2009/09/pta-meeting-and-open-house-this-week.html

I hope all parents are planning to come to Dahlstrom on Thursday, September 24.  At 6:00, we will hold our fall PTA meeting in the Mustang gym.  All parents are invited.  This meeting should not take longer than 20 minutes or so.

Then at 6:30, our Dahlstrom Open House begins.  Parents will be provided a copy of their child's schedule and a map of the school.  Parents will go from class to class (for that true middle school experience!), staying about ten minutes in each class.  You will hear a general overview of the course, listen to expectations from teachers, view student work, and be able to ask questions.  However, should you need additional time with the teacher, please arrange for an individual conference to discuss your child.

The end of the six weeks is next Friday, October 2.  This is also the first "social" of the year.  A social is a dance, but I use the term loosely!  There is not much dancing that actually occurs!  Our socials last from 3:30 to 5:30.  There is a DJ playing music, games in the gyms, lots of snacks and drinks, and just a little dancing!  The cost to enter the dance is $5, and the snacks range in price from $.50 to $1.50.  If a student has had after school detention or ISS during the first six weeks, then he or she is not eligible to attend the dance.  We have four socials each year, and they are always very well attended.  Parents must arrange to pick up students no later than 5:30, and may c

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