Dumbarton Middle School 300 Dumbarton Road, Baltimore, MD 21212

410-887-3176 BCPS Lighthouse School

A National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence

Sue Harris, Principal October, 2015 Liz Heil, Assistant Principal

Cheryl Scott, Assistant Principal

Jen Burch, Assistant Principal

From the Principal’s Desk….

It is October and finally the cool air will be settling in at Dumbarton. It was great to see

all the parents who were here this week to attend conferences. Mid-quarter is the best

time to check in with teachers to ensure students are on track since there are only four

weeks until the quarter ends on October 30.

As a BCPS Lighthouse school our 6th graders have laptop devices that they use daily and

take home each evening. We have 364 sixth graders and not one device has been lost,

broken or stolen! Some were misplaced for a day but all were found. As always, students

at DMS who find items that are not theirs, immediately turn them into the office so we

can find the owner. We continue to ask that students take devices home to charge them

and be able to access certain programs and textbooks loaded on the devices. Pending

funding, all middle school students will be issued BCPS devices next year!

Take Two time is another initiative that we believe supports our school vision. We

appreciate your patience as we adjust our approach to focus on quality learning as opposed

to an enormous quantity of assignments. Time is of the essence and no student seems to

have enough of it. We noticed an increase in missing assignments and work submitted that

lacked quality last year. The challenge was finding a time when teachers could provide

additional support, coaching or assistance during the school day. What we decided to do

was to set aside thirty minutes in each subject area once a week, and pause to ensure

quality work has been completed, turned in and to ensure that students have a deep

understanding of the new learning. Teachers use that time to re-teach, coach, and provide

re-do opportunities focused on current learning outcomes. Students can also finish

incomplete work, join a study group, check BCPS One for missing assignments, engage in

problem-solving challenges and take a deeper look at new content as it applies to current

events or future projects/goals. Our goal is to personalize support for students.

October 5-9 is BCPS Anti-Bullying Week. At Dumbarton, we have a Kindness student

club and a Kindness teacher committee who plan activities all year long that focus on

spreading kindness by demonstrating respect for others. Recently the Kindness Club

created welcome packages for students who are new to DMS. We also support the BCPS

Student Government Association’s choice of colors to wear during this week which

represent positive values/words of the day. Announcements will be made during school to

remind students to wear these colors:

National Fire Prevention Week begins on October 5, 2014. DMS conducts at total of

17 drills a year with 12 requiring evacuation. We have already conducted several

successful drills this year. Fire drills, 500 foot drills & rally points drills are all required

by BCPS. Rally points drills provide practice gathering at an exterior location during an

unstructured time such as during a class change. We also conduct scenario based drills so

we are prepared to respond to any type of unexpected situation. Continuing to practice our

emergency preparedness routines is essential to ensuring student and staff safety which

is our #1 priority. In addition, our School Resource Officer, Officer Brown is here daily

ensuring our building security as well as monitoring events in the community.

Did you know that Friday, October 30 is the date of the Lion’s Den Halloween Party?

The Lion’s Den parent volunteers sponsor monthly events for students. The cost to attend

is $5 and written parent permission is required. Flyers will be sent home on 10/26.

Students can dress up in their Halloween costume and engage in fun activities. During the

school day on 10/30, we ask that students do not dress in Halloween costumes due to the

distraction it can cause to the learning environment. Instead, have your child come to the

Halloween Party to show everyone his/her costume. It is truly a safe place to have fun!

The Central Area Education Advisory Council Meeting will be held at Dumbarton on

October 14 at 7 pm. We hope you can join us for this informative evening hosted by

Mrs. Freeman, our PTSA President.

American Education Week is November 16-20. Please mark your calendar early and plan

on visiting us. Be sure to bring a state issued ID as each visitor must provide formal

identification to gain entry to any BCPS school. To avoid parking congestion we encourage

parents to consider the following days:

Monday: Blue (Kindness)

Tuesday: Green (Equity)

Wednesday: Yellow (Empathy)

Thursday: Red (Respect)

Friday: Purple (Positivity)

AMERICAN EDUCATION WEEK

Monday, November 16 – any grade

Tuesday, November 17 – 6th grade

Wednesday, November 18 – 7th grade

Thursday, November 19 – 8th grade

Friday, November 20 – any grade

Safety in our school parking lot and driveway requires your help! As mentioned in a

recent email, please refrain from driving into the school driveway, parking lot or the side

road that leads toward the fields when busses are entering/exiting. Cars crossing the bus

loop have caused safety concerns as has a line of cars forming near the gym area which can

extend into the bus loop. Thank you for working with us to ensure student and adult safety

on our campus.

As always, please keep us informed if there is something we can do to support your child at

Dumbarton. Middle school is a time of change for students and it can be stressful for

parents as well. Please communicate with your child’s school counselor if he/she can be of

assistance. We know that Dumbarton is a great place to educate students because you

support our work by reinforcing the same high expectations at home. I thank you for your

partnership in this endeavor! Have a great October!

Sincerely, Susan E Harris Principal

From the 7th Grade Counselor

7th graders were recently introduced to the Family

Connection website. Family Connection is a site that

students will begin to use this year and will continue to use

through high school. It offers many things including

college and career information, college searches and

application, and tasks that the counselors assign to the students. Ms. Campbell,

the school counselor, visited Language Arts classes and introduced this program to

them. Students were able to log on, create 1 academic SMART goal for first

quarter, complete a counseling needs assessment, and begin exploring colleges

through the College Supermatch link. Students can access this program at home

at:

http://connection.naviance.com/dumbarton

Their username is their regular BCPS username. Password is their birthdate in the

following format: MMDDYYYY with no dashes or slashes.

Parents will be able to access this program as well. In the next week or so, you will

be receiving an email with an activation code so that you may access this program

and see what your students have been up to!

Later in the year, Ms. Campbell will be visiting classes again to begin career

exploration with the students. We will again be working with the Family Connection

program to identify students’ interests and abilities, and how they relate to

possible careers. This information will be stored in the student’s account.

For legal reasons, students are only permitted to ride their assigned bus. Even

with parent permission, students cannot ride

busses that they are not assigned to.

Thank you to parents who have been dropping

their children off and picking them up on

Dumbarton Road and avoiding the front circle area.

See Mrs. Heil for questions: eheil@bcps.org.

8th Grade News! September sure has been an exciting month in 8th grade! With the year now in full

swing, students have been engaged in learning experiences that are both

meaningful and unique. As a result, the level of work and creativity stemming from

our 8th graders has been extraordinary!

Key Highlights from September:

SMART Goals – Mr. Ferenschak worked with all of our eighth graders to

develop goals to be attained throughout the year and beyond. Students

were engaged in the process of setting realistic goals for themselves to

accomplish, as well as filling out an interest survey that will better help us

meet their everyday needs.

PERP Awards (Positively Engaged Referral Participant) – The 8th grade

teachers have begun the process of creating student recognition awards

for those who exhibit exemplary levels of responsibility, kindness, growth,

and overall positivity. Students should look forward to seeing their names

honored in the eighth grade hallway just before entering the

library…check it out to see who got “caught” doing the right thing!

Time Capsules – Students will begin the process of putting together time

capsules to capture all of their memorable moments and experiences

during their 8th grade year. At the end of the year, each student will

receive their time capsule during the end of year ceremony. Items to be

included within the time capsule can include, but are certainly not limited

to:

o Picture

o Nice postcards

o Tweet

o Letter from parents

o Letter to future self

o Yarn height

o Itunes – what’s on your playlist right now?

o SMART goals

Any questions, comments, or concerns? If so, please feel free to

email me directly at jbirnbaum@bcps.org.

~ Jordan Birnbaum, 8th Grade Level Coordinator

In the Middle of the Middle

This past month has been filled with excitement and creativity for

our seventh graders. Each World Cultures class participated in the

Social Scientist Job Fair, which was the culmination of their studies

on the many contributions made by particular social scientists.

Check out pics of the event on Twitter- search #dmsgr7. Mr.

Wood's pre-algebra class seized a real world opportunity to see math in action

when they ventured outside to the back parking lot to watch how linear equations

and rate of change can be applied to the construction of a new sidewalk. Science

galore! In Mr. Pettitt’s science classes students have been using microscopes and

making their own slides in order to start constructing their cell models. Sixty-four

students in Ms. Turner's science classes participated in the Outdoor Education

Ecosystem Study at the Days Cove section of Gunpowder State Park- totally

fascinating!! The first week of school Ms. Turner's science students participated in

a "Hang Time" glider construction challenge in order to practice P-21 skills as they

became familiar with their new classmates. The end product was a compilation of

the "Skills and Practices" characteristic of a LIGHTHOUSE STUDENT in a

LIGHTHOUSE SCIENCE CLASS Anchor Chart. Students in Mrs. Collin’s Language

Arts classes have been working collaboratively to gather information about

refugees in order to prepare for their upcoming novel: Outcasts United. As we

move into October students will prepare for our annual field trip to the Maryland

Zoo. The trip will take place on October 29th. Parents interested in chaperoning

should contact their child's science teacher. Please do not hesitate to contact Mrs.

Bell for questions/concerns abell2@bcps.org

Congratulations to the recipients of SWAG for the month of September:

Olivia D.

Julia P.

Abigail H.

Mahailja E.

Sam A.

Brooke C.

Elin S.

Mohamed B.

Natalie F.

Brandon D.

Justin H.

McKenzie A.

Chloe S.

Madeline K.

6th Grade STARRRR Students

This year at Dumbarton Middle School the 6th Grade Team will be

looking for students that are STARRRR Students. These students

are Respectful, Responsible, Resilient, and Ready to Learn, each 6th

grade teacher will nominate one student from their classes that

demonstrated these qualities. Congratulations to our first group of STARRRR

Students!

Olivia S.

Amelia B.

Cece W.

Ajita B.

Emma L.

Amna M.

Gavin S.

Henry B.

Ana G.

Tommy L.

Maddy G.

Chloe S.

Mary D.

Audrey D.

Aidan C.

Keep up the GREAT work! 6th Grade Team and Mrs. Denmyer-Prenger

Absences from school for Vacations

There are occasions when families have the opportunities to take

a vacation during the school year. Helping children keep up with

school work they will miss is a challenge for parents and teachers

alike. While teachers plan in advance according to long-range

scope, planning for daily instruction is an on-going process that requires frequent

adjustments due to daily assessment of student needs. Therefore, instruction and

learning that was planned is at times rearranged or revisited. Please keep in mind

that there is a great deal of learning that takes place in the classroom through

discussion and other activities that cannot be made up in the form of a worksheet

or textbook pages. If your child will miss school because of vacation, your child may

collect the work he/she misses upon returning to school. Also, please keep in mind

that an absence for a vacation is considered unexcused even if there are education

components to the trip. For questions email: Mrs. Burch at jburch2@bcps.org.

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News Happy October!

We are off to an amazing start with the huge success of our 6th Grade Social- it

was so much fun!! With a record-breaking attendance of 270 students, our 6th

graders are kicking off the new school year with so much fun energy and school

pride. Many thanks to Kristin Zoll and her Lion’s Den crew for organizing the event,

as well as the numerous volunteers that included parents, 10 amazing teachers

(another record-breaker!) and Ms. Scott, 6th grade AP. We are so very lucky to

have such a wonderful and supportive school community!

Tissues for Teachers Drive- Teachers use their own money to buy tissues and it

can add up quickly with all the colds floating around during fall and winter months.

Let’s help our teachers by saving them this expense and donating boxes of

tissues to the school!

Our Lion’s Den is hosting a fun-filled Halloween Party on October 30th from 7-

9pm. A flier with more information about this event is included in this newsletter

and will be posted on our Facebook page and website.

PTSA Directories are in! We will be selling them for $5 at various lunch shifts and

events. Stay tuned by following us on our Facebook page and website.

PTSA Contributions- Many thanks to all of the families who have contributed so

far this year. As of September 23rd, we have collected $12,116, which is 81% of

our $15,000 goal. We plan to acknowledge our donors in the November newsletter.

If you’re still planning to contribute, please use our new online payment option

(www.dmsptsa.org) or send in your check (made out to DMS PTSA) by October 16th

to be included in the list.

Remember that DMS PTSA relies on contributions rather than

fundraisers for its budget, and donations are tax deductible as charitable

contributions.

Thank you for all of your support!! Aimee Freeman PTSA President

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Nurse News

Baltimore County Department of Health will be conducting vision and hearing

screening for all 8th grade students and students in 6th and 7th grade who

are new to BCPS this year. Please make sure if your child wears glasses or

uses contacts, they have them with them for testing.

VISION AND HEARING Testing dates:

OCTOBER 5-8TH, retesting, OCTOBER 22, 2015

Donna Miedusiewski, RN

Dumbarton Middle School Nurse

410 321 0496

dmiedusiewski@bcps.org

For September 2015

Victoria B. Robert H.

Drew C. Taly K.

Ava C. James M.

Sloan C. Gwen M.

Alick D. Gustavo M.

Maija D. Zaid Q.

Ana G. Cole S.

Sofia G. Molly T.

Ms. Sharbonda would like to congratulate the above students for

working especially hard in Algebra & Geometry.

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Committed to Kindness

Why Teaching Kindness in Schools Is Essential to Reduce Bullying

It seems that we just can't get enough of those addictive, feel-good emotions --

and with good reason. Scientific studies prove that kindness has many physical,

emotional, and mental health benefits. And children need a healthy dose of the

warm-and-fuzzies to thrive as healthy, happy, well-rounded individuals.

A great number of benefits have been reported to support teaching kindness in schools, best

summed up by the following.

Happy, Caring Children

The good feelings that we experience when being kind are produced by endorphins. They

activate areas of the brain that are associated with pleasure, social connection, and trust. These

feelings of joyfulness are proven to be contagious and encourage more kind behavior by the giver

and recipient.

Increased Peer Acceptance

Research on the subject has determined that kindness increases our ability to form meaningful

connections with others. Kind, happy children enjoy greater peer acceptance because they are

well liked.

Less Bullying

Researchers say, "Unlike previous generations, today's adolescents are victimizing each other at

alarming rates." They argue that adolescent bullying and violence can be confronted with in-

school programs that integrate kindness.

When kindness and compassion are taught instead, it fosters the positive behavior that's expected. Promoting its psychological opposite is key in reducing bullying to create warm and inclusive school environments.

Greater Sense of Belonging and Improved Self-Esteem

Studies show that people experience a "helper's high" when they do a good deed. This rush of

endorphins creates a lasting sense of pride, wellbeing, and an enriched sense of belonging. It's

reported that even small acts of kindness heighten our sense of wellbeing, increase energy, and

give a wonderful feeling of optimism and self-worth.

Improved Health and Less Stress

Being kind can trigger a release of the hormone oxytocin, which has a number of physical and

mental health benefits. Oxytocin can significantly increase a person's level of happiness and

reduce stress levels.

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Better Concentration and Improved Results

Kindness is a key ingredient that helps children feel good about themselves as it increases

serotonin levels. This important chemical affects learning, memory, mood, sleep, health, and

digestion. Having a positive outlook enables greater attention spans and more creative thinking to

produce better results at school. – From the Kindness Committee & Kindness Club

Adapted from: Currie, Lisa. "Why Teaching Kindness in Schools Is Essential to Reduce Bullying." Edutopia. George Lucas Educational Foundation, 17 Oct. 2014. Web. 11 Dec. 2014. <http://www.edutopia.org/blog/teaching-kindness-essential-reduce-bullying-lisa-currie>.

S.A.D.D. - Students Against Destructive Decisions will meet two

Tuesday’s each month. Our mission is to

promote a safe and healthy school

community. If you child would like to join us

and get creative, please have them attend

our next meeting on October 13th from

3pm- 3:45pm in Mrs. Murphy’s Office, next

to the School Nurse. Parents, please make

arrangements for student transportation

home at 3:45pm.

Shoebox Collection

The Kindness Club is collecting empty

shoeboxes for our December meeting.

Students will be filling these boxes with

holiday presents for underprivileged

elementary school students in Baltimore

City. Please donate any empty shoeboxes

to Ms. Sharbonda’s Room 210. Thanks!

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Running and Cross Country Club

The DMS Cross Country Team and Running Club are off and running! The

Cross Country team practices on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday

from 3:00-4:30.Running Club practices on Wednesdays 2:50-3:45.

Team and club members will have the opportunity to order shirts and

sweatshirts on-line starting Monday, 9/28. Go to the following link for more

information:

http://aresteamstore.com/Showroom/DumbartonMiddleAthletics/375739

We have lots of strong runners that are itching to start racing other

schools. The race schedule is below. Please come out and support our

runners. Races start at 4pm.

@Pine Grove Middle- Wed 10/14

@Hereford Middle- Wed 10/21

@Dulaney High-Sat 10/24 (9 AM CROSS COUNTRY ONLY)

@Parkville Middle- Wed 10/28

@Dumbarton Middle-Wed 11/4

@Cockeysville Middle-Wed 11/11

Run hard, be strong, think big!

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Sixty-four of our Grade 7 Science Students will participate in BCPS, “The Living Environment Ecosystem Study”!

Students will conduct a variety of hands-on explorations of the tidal and wetland ecosystems at the Days Cove portion of Gunpowder Falls State Park. Students will work outdoors to survey biological communities in order to investigate organism structure, function and strategies for obtaining and using energy. In addition, students will utilize the lab for microscopic analysis of collected specimens. Investigations include:

Dip netting

Seining

Biological transect

Microscope Lab

The three questions guiding their exploration are:

1. [Biotic Factors] How do various living things provide evidence about the quality of an aquatic ecosystem?

2. What are the top 5 problems/concerns facing organisms in the Days Cove aquatic ecosystem? (Caused by humans? Could be corrected/improved by humans?)

3. [Abiotic Factors] How is technology used to measure abiotic components of an aquatic ecosystem and what do the measurements mean with regard to the quality of the ecosystem?

THE ASCEND MATH CLUB for 6th Graders!!

Every math student wants to move beyond the pace of the classroom, or explore self-

selected topics, or re-mediate skill gaps. Whether for intervention or enhancement, it is

ideal for students to focus on what they don't know or what they want to find out. The

Ascend Math club is starting after school on Wednesdays in Mr. Sievers' class, room 124,

for any 6th grader who wants to improve their math skills. This club will provide an

individualized study plan for students in a group setting with plenty of personal

assistance for any math questions. Bring your Revolve device and improve your math

skills! Dan Sievers, Math Teacher (dsievers@bcps.org )

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Dumbarton Middle, along with the rest of the nation, must say Farewell to

our Future Educators Association brand and hello to our newly renamed

organization, Educators Rising!

Meeting Day-Thursday (Our next meeting is scheduled for October 8.)

Meeting Time: 2:55-3:45PM

Room 107

Teacher Leader: Ms. Turner

2015-2016 Service Projects:

Kids Helping Hopkins and Future Teachers HELPING Teachers.

Join us if you want to become a teacher.

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Kindness T-Shirts are on Sale Now!!! Celebrate your commitment to kindness by ordering one of these SUPER

Trendy t-shirts today! Each shirt costs $19.

To Order Today: http://aresteamstore.com/DumbartonMiddleAthletics

Be kind whenever possible. Kindness Counts

It is always possible. <Kindness Logo Image>

~Dalai Lama

Show your DMS spirit by wearing it! The following clubs have online stores open

to purchase apparel:

Running/Cross Country club

Soccer Club

Dumbarton Middle school/Kindness

Items purchased will be delivered to school to your child shortly after the

store closes. Any questions contact Holly Taylor (htaylor2@bcps.or)

Click the following link

http://aresteamstore.com/DumbartonMiddleAthletics

[15]

ANOTHER AWARD FOR DUMBARTON!

Congratulations to our Building Service Worker Team! They earned the central area award for outstanding work performance and team work by helping us maintain and clean and safe learning environment. We are very proud of our building service workers!

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At DMS, Our pride is Our future!