Principal Nelson's Blog

Week of January 30, 2012

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Safety, student achievement, and community involvement have been the pillars of Daniell Middle School for many years now. Due to having a strong foundation, we have witnessed our school experience the highest levels of success we have ever seen. We have more partners in education, more parent volunteers, and more contributions to our community than ever before. Our students are also performing at their highest levels ever. Likewise, we also have more programs and resources in our school to help continue to make our school a safe place to get prepared for high school. From No Place for Hate, increased parent involvement during the school day, and bullying programs, our community is continually finding new ways to enhance safety at Daniell. In addition, our school also participates with our CCSD's Department of Public Safety as a training place for drug dogs. By allowing this on our campus, not only are we helping our Department of Public Safety, but also we are providing a strong deterrent to students about bringing illegal substances on campus. Safety, student achievement, and community involvement have been and will continue to be the pillars for success at Daniell.

Here are the important events for the week of January 30, 2012.

Monday
Poet's Cafe in Mrs. Willmschen's and Mrs. Odom's Classes

Tuesday
Poet's Cafe in Mrs. Willmschen's and Mrs. Odom's Classes
9:15 PTSA Bus Driver Appreciation Breakfast in Media Center
6:30 ECCC PTSA Reflections at Kell High School

Wednesday
Poet's Cafe in Mrs. Willmschen's and Mrs. Odom's Classes
Technology Testing
4:15-5:20 Science Olympiad Meeting

Thursday
Poet's Cafe in Mrs. Willmschen's and Mrs. Odom's Classes
PTSA Nominating Committee Posts Slate for 2012-2013 Officers
Technology Testing
9:30 Pebblebrook Informational Meeting for 8th Grade in Theater

Friday
PTSA Honor Roll Celebration
8th Grade Pictures in Connections in Theater

Did You Know?

You can help your child with their studies at home by using four easy computer based resources.

1. PICASSO – Located on the main page of the CCSD website, PICASSO allows parents to see what is being taught in any of their child’s classes and grade levels. The specific standards are outlined and even vocabulary being taught. Parents can help review or even preview vocabulary with the students to help ensure readiness and retention of what is being taught.
2. USA TESTPrep – Located on the main page of our school website, USA TestPrep allows students to specifically work on areas they may struggle. It will meet the student at their readiness level and work with them to move them to higher levels. If you are unsure what subject areas you need to have your child study, please contact me or your child’s grade level administrator. The media center is also open in the mornings so students can use the computers in the media center to access this program.
3. Skills Tutor – This is another computer based program located on the school’s website. Skills Tutor works with students to reinforce learning.
4. OAS (Online Assessment System) – This is a computer based program provided by the Georgia Department of Education which can be found on the school’s website or the Georgia Department of Education’s website. OAS provides students with released CRCT questions and answers so that they can help determine if they are ready to take the CRCT.

Parents play a crucial role in their child’s success in school. Without a parent showing interest in their child’s learning by talking to them about what they are learning and knowing ways they can help them, many students will not give their best attempt at learning. We need your help in ensuring our students reach their maximum potential for high school success. Please volunteer at the school at least one hour sometime throughout the year and be familiar with the resources at your disposal to help your child be ready for high school.

Week of January 23, 2012

Download the refrigerator version of this week's schedule. Click here.

 Download This Week at Daniell 01-23-12 Parent Edition 

Come volunteer at our school! We want you and could use your help in contining to make our school a safe and vibrant place for kids to learn and have fun. Call us at 678-594-8048 and find out how your talents and skills can be used. Just imagine what kind of school we could have if every parent or guardian could just volunteer one hour of service to our school over the year.

The PTSA Bingo and Soup Cook-Off was a lot of fun. I ate a lot of good food Thursday. I look forward to sharing with you our parent winner and their recipe. I also want to thank all the parents who organized and work this fun night for the families at our school.

Here are the big events for the week of January 23, 2012.

• Monday
  PTSA Chain Links for Make-A-Wish Begins
  PTSA Attendance Incentive Planning Meeting
• Tuesday
  12:00 PTSA Lunch N' Learn
• Wednesday
  11:00-1:00 PTSA Duty Free Lunch
  4:15-5:20 Science Olympiad Meeting
• Thursday
  Stevie B's Spirit Night
  8:00 Student Forum Meeting
  4:15 PTSA Decorates Media Center for Stakeholder's Breakfast
  7:00 Saint Charles Square Future Daniell Parent Meeting with Principal Nelson and School Council Chair, Bob Turner
• Friday
  7:45-9:15 School Council Stakeholder's Breakfast
• Saturday
  Daniell Droids Compete at Georgia Tech in the State Lego Robotics Competition


Did you know?
The learning community of Daniell Middle School is a consistent part of the East Cobb community. Daniell students perform and volunteer at senior assisted living centers and contribute to local charities. They also participate in fundraising efforts such as Bert's Letters for Soldiers, Must Ministries, canned food drives, coat drives, and toy drives. Thousands of dollars have been raised for St. Jude's and Relay for Life. Daniell Staff have also provided countless children with needed school supplies, clothes, and other needed resources. Mental health services and even eye glasses have also been provided at times through collaboration with outside agencies and staff member donations. The learning community at Daniell receives many great gifts from our area. In turn, our learning community also works to make our community a better place by teaching students to volunteer and take ownership in the world arround them.

 

SPLOST III Construction Begins January 17, 2012

Don't forget, SPLOST III construction begins at Daniell on Tuesday, January 17, 2012. For the most part, the biggest changes we will see while school is in session will be construction on the outside of the school. Fencing will go up around the construction zone areas. For parents who pick up their children in the afternoon, don't forget we will lose some parking spots on the back side of the cafeteria due to the construction. The bright side is that next school year we will have 250 parking spots as opposed to the 96 we have now.

Click here for a copy of the staging plan that will be used for the beginning of construction on our campus. Download DMS - Staging Plan

You can follow the SPLOST construction progress at our school and any other school by going to our main website and clicking on the SPLOST III link found at the bottom of the page.

Week of January 16, 2012

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Download This Week at Daniell 01-16-12 Parent Edition

Good luck this week to our 8th Graders who have been busy preparing to take the CRCT Middle Grades Writing Assessment. Every year our 8th graders just keep getting better and better on this assessment! Thanks to our 8th grade teachers for all they do to make our kids so successful and to all our 6th and 7th grade LA teachers who build that strong foundation for them. Just another reason Daniell's staff is the best! Also, thanks to all the parents who came to the parent night that the 8th grade LA teachers provided to help parents know what they could do at home to help their child prepare. As soon as their scores come back we will be sure to let you know!

Here are the important happenings for the week of January 16, 2012.

Monday

• No School – Martin Luther King Day

Tuesday

• SPLOST Construction Begins
• PTSA Distributes Good Luck Cookies to 8^th Graders
• 8:10 Keybuilder’s Meeting
• 12:00 PTSA Grants Committee Meeting
• 6:00 PTSA Executive Committee Meeting
• 7:00 PTSA BOD Meeting

Wednesday

• 8^th Grade Writing Assessment
• Thursday’s Schedule – Periods 4,3,6,2
• 8^th Grade Only – Periods 3,3,6,2
• 4:15 PTSA School Store Meeting
• 4:15-5:20 Science Olympiad Meeting

Thursday

• Wednesday’s Schedule – Periods 7,3,1,5
• 8^th Grade Writing Assessment Make-Up
• 7:45 School Council Sub-Committee Meeting
• 8:10 FCA Meeting in Theater
• 3:00 Geography Bee in Theater
• 5:45 PTSA Nominating Committee Meeting
• 6:30 PTSA Family Engagement Night – Soup Cook-Off

Friday

• Selected 7^th and 8^th Grade 2^nd All-State Chorus Auditions at Hillgrove High School
• Performing Arts Assembly: Laughing Matters during Connections


Did You Know?

Congrats go out to our Dophin Droids! This weekend they came in 10th out of 40 teams! They received the 9th highest score for the competition out of 137 and 1st place in strategy and creative programming....now, get ready state competition because here comes Daniell!

First Day of Second Semester

What a great day it was to see all our students return from their two week break! I enjoyed talking to many of our kids and hearing about their holidays. Several of the students had to make sure to show me what gifts they received. From talking to them, it sounded like they really enjoyed their break and were glad to be back with friends now.

I also want to brag on our students for the manner in which they responded to the fire alarm that was activated this afternoon. The alarm was activated by the use of a microwave in the 6th grade science wing. However, due to a roof leak in another part of the school, a detector had malfunctioned and would not clear to signal that all areas were free of smoke or fire. I was proud of the way the students handled this and waited patiently to get the okay to come back inside.

We have awesome kids at Daniell with super personalities and great maturity. Their stories about the break and the way they acted today support this.

We Want You for PTSA?

The 2012 PTSA Nominating Committee is now seeking names of persons interested in being an officer of the 2012-2013 Daniell PTSA. Positions availbale are President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer. If you are interested in being considered for the slate of officers that the Nominating Committee will submit at the March 1, 2012 elections, please complete and return the questionaire form by Sunday, January 15, 2012. You can return the questionaire to me via email or drop it off in the front office during this week. You must be a PTSA member to be cosidered for an officer. If you are not a member and would like to get your membership, please contact our PTSA Membership Chair, Melissa Hewitt (924hewitt@comcast.net).

 

Click here for the PTSA questionaire. Download PTSA Questioinaire

Week of January 9, 2012

Please click here for a printable, refrigerator calendar of this week's activities.

Download This Week at Daniell 01-09-12 Parent Edition

 

On behalf of the faculty and staff at Daniell, Happy New Year!  2011 was a super year for us. In 2011, our school broke 15 all-time school performance records and witnessed the highest student achievement results ever! I would like to thank everyone for your support in making 2011 such a super year. 2012 will be another great year for us as well. With teachers who work as hard as they do to plan great lessons, parents who support the learning at home, and students who take ownership of their learning and their school, it would be hard for us to experience anything less than another great year!

Here are a couple of important notes -

1) School will be closed Monday, January 16th for Martin Luther King Day.

2) SPLOST III construction at Daniell will begin Tuesday, January 17th. For a staging map of construction activities, please click on this link. Download DMS - Staging Plan

Here are the important events for the week of January 9, 2012.

Monday

• Staff Work Day / Student Holiday

Tuesday

• First Day of Second Semester
• 7:45 School Council Meeting

Wednesday

• 4:15-5:20 Science Olympiad Meeting

Friday

• Report Cards/Advisement Day (Check Academic Goals)

Saturday

• Selected 7^th and 8^th Grade Orchestra Final All-State Auditions at The Westminister School


Did you know?

SPLOST construction will begin at Daniell on January 17, 2012. During the second semester, construction on the new kitchen and computer lab will begin. The cafeteria will remain open for students to use until school is out for the summer. A fence will be placed around the perimeter of the cafeteria and computer lab construction zones. A limited amount of parking spaces located adjacent to the cafeteria will also be closed due to construction. With our SPLOST renovations, we will gain an enlarged and renovated cafeteria, a new computer lab, new ceilings in most of the school, more parking spaces, and covered walkways going to the bus ports.

IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES

January 16 – MLK Holiday – School Closed

January 17 – SPLOST III Construction Begins at Daniell, Keybuilder’s Meeting

January 18 – 8^th Grade Writing Assessment, Geography Bee, Science Olympiad Meeting

January 19 – PTSA Family Engagement Night

January 20 – Performing Arts Assembly for All Grade Levels – Laughing Matters

January 24 – PTSA Lunch N’ Learn

January 26 – Student Forum Meeting, Stevie B’s Spirit Night

January 27 – School Council Stakeholder’s Breakfast

January 31 – PTSA Bus Driver Appreciation Breakfast

February 1 – Science Olympiad Meeting