Principal Nelson's Blog

2010-2011 AYP News: Yeah!!!

Daniell Middle School has met AYP again for the 2010-2011 school year! I could not be more pleased to share this information with you! The Georgia Department of Education made the formal press release yesterday which then allowed each principal to be able to share the information with his or her teachers and parents. As of today, we have broken all-time school performance records in 14 of the 15 areas! This is something of which to be proud and something that I am not sure many other schools can say. I am hoping to break all 15 records once re-tests are calculated in our performance.

 

As for now, how appropriate that today is Friday and we get super news about our school making AYP and breaking 14 of 15 all-time Daniell Middle School records. Our building level leadership team will be reviewing data with me this upcoming week to help set our blueprint for the upcoming year based on the work which has been done this past year. We will have our work cut out for us as the state standards only increase again. But, for now I have asked the staff to sit back, prop up their feet, and celebrate their accomplishments because they did an outstanding job working with our students. I am so proud of our teachers at Daniell Middle School. This school year's accomplishments only validate what we already know about our staff - they are incredible! Please let your child's teachers know how proud of them you are.

 

As for our parents, I want to once again thank you for your input, your support, and your eagerness to assist your students at home. Without the school and the home being unified it would be extremely unlikely to see such success from each of our students. And, please thank your student for taking their learning this past year so seriously. If they had not learned so much and taken the CRCT seriously we would not have achieved any success. I have always heard the old saying that you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. However, yesterday in reading Maxwell's latest leadership book Everyone Communicates, Few Connect, Maxwell pointed out that you can feed a horse salt which will want to make him drink. As we all know sometimes people just aren't interested in learning something or doing something. As teachers and parents we face this frequently with our kids and have to find some "salt" to help us get our children to do what needs to be done. Being a parent myself, I am constantly trying to determine how to inspire my children or help them to take interest in learning how to add and subtract or increasing their site word knowledge to help them learn to read. Sometimes, my own kids just aren't that interested in learning what I feel they need to learn. So, I have to back up and find a new approach - find a different way to try and connect with them so they will take interest. Being a parent is hard work. Being a parent myself definitely helps me relate to what the parents of my school deal with each day. So, thank you for not only supporting the school and giving us input, but also for helping us find ways to connect with your student so that they will be more successful academically and in all aspects of school. We appreciate you and what you do to help us at school.

 

We appreciate your outstanding work of helping your child at home, making sure they access USA Testprep and Skills Tutor, monitor their grades, and show an interest in what they do at school by talking to them each day about school. Truly, not only does our school have outstanding teachers, but we also have outstanding parents! I am excited about our upcoming year and seeing what heights we will reach this year by working together!

 

Thank you and have an incredible weekend!

Overall Supply Lists for 6th, 7th, and 8th Grades

We know that many parents may be wanting to take advantage of any sales for school supplies which can be found over the summer. So, attached are the general supply lists for 6th, 7th, and 8th grades. Hopefully, this will help as you run across any bargains this summer. During drop-by Sneak-A-Peek on August 11th from 2-5, students will receive their individual class schedules so they will know who their actual classroom teachers will be (Sneak-A-Peek is a drop-in event. So, students can actually come any time between 2 and 5.). On this day, students might receive more specific information for specific classes they are registered. Supplies may vary from teacher to teacher. But, what we have attached for you are the general needs for your child's grade level. Please call us if you have any questions.

Download 6th Grade Supply

Download 7th Grade Supply List

Download 8th Grade Supply List

Back to School Information

I hope everyone has been enoying the summer with your friends and family. It is hard to believe that the start of the 2011-2012 school year is just around the corner. We have been busy hiring new teachers, cleaning the school, and planning the new year. We are very excited about all our new 6th graders coming to our campus and are eager to see our returning 7th and 8th graders. I can't wait to see everyone!

Last school year was one of the best years ever at Daniell Middle School, and we want to make sure that this upcoming year is just as good if not better. To help make this happen we will need the help of our students and our parents. We will need our students to be thinking about what clubs and activities they will want to get involved in this year and what they will want to do to make their school more fun. For our parents, we hope you will be able to continue to find ways to get plugged in to our PTSA.

I know many of us are big planners. So, for those of you that like to know what is headed your way as the new school year begins, here is a brief overview of the big back to school activities.

 

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NEW STUDENT REGISTRATION

Wednesday, July 27 from 8:00-12:00 in the Cafeteria

This event is for students who are not from our feeder schools and went through the registration with them or for our returning students. It is for students who are not currently registered to attend Daniell. For more information about registration, please visit our school's main website.

 

SNEAK-A-PEEK

Thursday, August 11 from 2:00-5:00

This will be a drop-in opportunity for 6th, 7th, and 8th graders to literally "sneak-a-peek" of their new school year. We hope to give students their schedule of classes on this day and let students walk the halls to find their new classrooms, purchase yearbooks, and deposit money into their lunch accounts. In addition, 6th grade students only will receive their locker assignments during this time. Our PTSA will have concessions available and a membership drive open. For our new parents, we don't have a lot of parking at the front of the school. But, there will plenty in the back of the school. (With SPLOST III we will be getting 250 parking spots! We currently only have 96!) But, again, there is plenty of room for parking in the back of the campus. We will also have School Council information available.

 

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

Monday, August 15 

Don't forget, school starts at 9:15 and ends at 4:15 at the middle school level. This is a big shift from the elementary school times. Be sure that students have pencils, paper, and a notebook to take to all of their classes. Don't forget to remind your student that back packs have to be kept in lockers and can not be taken from class to class. Remind your student to not stress if they can't find their locker or their classes to well during the first week of school. Teachers will be present to help everyone find their way to their new classes. Tardies will begin counting the second week of school.

 

PTSA OPEN HOUSE

For 6th Grade - Tuesday, August 23 from 5:30-8:00

For 7th and 8th Grade - Thursday, August 25 from 5:30-8:00

During these times, PTSA membership, yearbook sales, and cafeteria lunch money deposits will be available. We will also have information for School Council nominations.

 

SUPPLY LISTS

6th Grade Academy students will be mailed their supply list with their welcome back letter early next week. 7th and 8th grade students will get their supply list details from their individual teachers during Sneak-A-Peek on August 11th.

 

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Again, enjoy the remaining weeks! I hope this information helps with your planning. Please don't hesitate to call or email me if you have any questions about this upcoming school year. I am excited about our new school year and look forward to seeing everyone back on campus!