Desert Sky Middle School February 2021
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From: Desert Sky Middle School marshr@vailschooldistrict.org
Subject: Cougar Call - February 2021
Date: February 1, 2021 at 6:32 PM
To: dscert@vailschooldistrict.org
Desert Sky Middle School
February 2021
Letter from the Principal
Dear Desert Sky Parents and Families,
It has been wonderful seeing students and staff on campus this past week. We
look forward to a successful second half of the school year with all of you and are
grateful for your support. I hope the first week back from remote learning has
gone smoothly and that this letter finds you healthy and safe.
Spring Parent/Teacher conferences are right around the corner. Conferences will
be held on Thursday, February 11th and Friday, February 12th. Thursday will be a
half day for students with dismissal at 11:30 a.m., and Friday will be an
asynchronous learning half day. Conferences provide an excellent opportunity to
discuss and examine your child’s academic achievement and efforts. I’ve provided
a list of ideas to help make the most of your child’s conference.
The most beneficial conferences are those in which both teachers and parents work together for one
purpose: to help your child be successful in school. Teachers will be prepared with academic information
on your children and with ideas to help. Talk with your child before conferences to find out how he/she
feels he/she is doing in school and why. Encourage your child to attend conferences as being an active
member in the process helps create ownership and meaning.
Please use this time to listen and ask questions. How is my child performing in class? Is he or she
working up to his or her ability? Does my child participate in class discussions and activities? How has
my child performed on assessments? Do you have any specific suggestions on ways to help my child do
better? If the teachers say something you don’t quite understand, don’t be shy about asking for
clarification. It is a good idea to end the conference by summing up decisions you have made together. If
needed, ask to meet again.
After conferences discuss the plan with your child. Make sure he or she knows that you and the teachers
care, and that we are all in this together. To see if the plan is working, watch your child’s behavior and
check your child’s class work. Stay in regular touch with teachers to discuss the progress your child is
making. Meeting and working with your child’s teachers will help build strong parent-teacher
partnerships. These partnerships are critical in our common goal of ensuring a successful educational
experience.
As a reminder, Open Enrollment for the 2021/2022 school year is open, and can be found HERE. Open
Enrollment forms must be submitted no later than March 1st, 2021, if you wish to have your child attend
a Vail school outside of your attendance boundary area. Enrollment is not guaranteed from year to year; a
new application must be submitted annually for acceptance.
As always, thank you for your partnership as we provide our students with a positive and rewarding
experience at Desert Sky Middle School.
Sincerely,
Rebecca Marsh
Principal
520-879-2704
marshr@vailschooldistrict.org
Upcoming Events
February
1-26 High School Choice Sign Up Window
1 Pennies for Patients Begins
8 School Pictures Group A
9 School Pictures Group B
11 Half Day Dismissal - 11:30 am
Parent/Teacher Conferences: 12:30 pm - 4:00 pm
12 Asynchronous Half Day
Parent/Teacher Conferences: 8:00 am - 12:00 pm, 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm
Progress Reports
12 School Pictures Remote Students
13 Chipotle PTO Fundraiser
18 PTO Meeting - 4:30 pm
19 Half Day Dismissal - 11:30 am
25, 26 No School - Rodeo Break
26 High School Choice Ends
March
3 ELA Benchmark #3
4 Math Benchmark #3
12 Report Cards Mailed Home
15 Spring Break Begins – School Resumes March 22nd
22 School Resumes
Parent Teacher Conference Information
Conferences are scheduled to be held on February 11th and 12th. Students
will be released at 11:30 a.m. on these days.
The conference schedule is as follows:
Thursday, 2/11 12:30 - 4:00 p.m. via Zoom
Friday, 2/12 8 a.m. - 12:00p.m. & 12:30 – 2:00 p.m. via Zoom
Each grade level team will be sending out a conference sign up email where
you will be directed to choose your time through PTCFast.com
We look forward to meeting with you during conference times. Parent-Teacher conferences are extremely
important as they provide the opportunity for you, your child, and your child’s teachers to meet to review
your student’s progress.
If you are unable to attend conferences during these times, please contact your child’s teacher via email or
phone to arrange for another opportunity.
PTO News Hello Cougar Families, We hope the new year finds you healthy and doing well. We'd like to thank you for your support of our Green Things Nursery Poinsettia Fundraiser; the poinsettias were absolutely beautiful, and we were able to raise some much needed funds. If you happened to miss it, we look forward to partnering with them again next holiday season. Save the date for our Chipotle Fundraiser. Make it an early Valentine dinner for a good cause - Saturday, 13 February, from 4 - 8 pm at the Chipotle at 9484 E 22nd Street. Show the attached flyer on your phone, or simply tell the cashier you are there to support Desert Sky PTO. If you prefer to order online, you can enter the promo code KQ4ETN3 before checking out. 33% of the proceeds will go to the PTO, plus no dishes to wash! Do you need some DSMS swag? Pop into the office and grab one of our cool PopSockets for only $10 - one style has the DSMS Cougar on it and the other is our super cool NASA inspired one. We also have $1 waterproof vinyl DSMS stickers. We are in need of two Executive Board Members. Two of our Board Members no longer have students at DSMS, and while this is not a requirement, we'd love to have parents of current students join us. Middle school PTO is more of a booster club compared to elementary school PTO, we don't plan large community events, but support the school clubs and groups that do. We provide grant money to teachers and staff, help with school supplies for those who need them, plan staff appreciation, run the after-school snack bar one or two days a week, and plan a few fundraisers throughout the year. This year is a bit different and we are much more low key than usual in regards to any in-person activities. Please feel free to contact us with questions about the open positions, and about our mission. If you have not yet joined the PTO this year, our membership process is all online! Click here to join. Our next virtual meeting is Thursday, 18 February, at 4:30 pm. The zoom link will be sent out to members a few days before the meeting, and can be found under Events on our Facebook page at Desert Sky Middle School PTO. We look forward to seeing you! Your membership and support so far this year have allowed usto provide funds to the Special Ed and Inclusion Departments for incentives for the students, to help the Health Aide purchase hygiene supplies, to help purchase backpacks and school supplies for students in need, and to provide dinner for the teachers on their long Parent Teacher Conference day coming up in February. Thank you! We could not do these things without YOU! Here to serve you and the school, please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns. desertskypto@gmail.com We appreciate all you do! The PTO Board: Vicki Williams-Potter Roxana Samaniego Kristi Mooney Patti House
Benchmark Testing Info
In March, all students will be taking the Benchmark #3 tests in
reading and math. Testing takes place on the mornings of the
dates listed below. If possible, please make sure your child does
not have any outside appointments scheduled during these days.
It is also important that students get plenty of rest the night
before, have a healthy breakfast, and do their best.
March 3rd – ELA
March 4th – Math
From the Desk of the Volunteer Coordinator Hello, Cougarteers! We hope you and your family are staying safe and doing great! Volunteering is still little different than how we have done things in the past, but we do have an opportunity for some volunteers if any of you are wanting to help out. We will be having school pictures made on 3 different days this month; 8th, 9th and 12th! They will be taking extra precautions as are we! We are looking for at least 2 volunteers each day to help students navigate the system of having our student and staff pictures taken. If you are interested in helping out or have any questions, you may either call or email me!! Thank you again for all that you do for our students, our staff and our school!!!! We truly appreciate each and every one of you!!!! Hope you have a great day!!!! VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY The vaccination event will be for our 75+ age group. It will be held at Old Vail Middle School (13299 E. Colossal Cave Rd) on February 5th. We would like for volunteers to arrive at 8:30 am for some brief training. Your shift will begin at 9:00 am and you will be done no later than 12:30 pm. An example of some volunteer roles that we need assistance with on that day are: Greeters Assistance with Walk in Registration via iPads Vaccine card and paperwork distribution Distribute Stickers and lollipops:) Write time of vaccination on car window Please plan to wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth throughout the entire time that you are volunteering. Also, please plan for the weather and wear comfortable shoes as we will be outside the entire time. We will have bottled water and donuts for you. Restrooms will be available as well. If you have any questions, please feel free to email Heather Stough at stoughh@vailschooldistrict.org. We appreciate your willingness to serve the community alongside us! Sign up here to volunteer! NJSH Pennies for Patients Drive
Open Enrollment Information
The Vail School District accepts open enrollment applications from in district resident parents wishing to
have their child attend a Vail school outside their home attendance boundary area and for parents from
other school districts wishing to have their child considered for enrollment in a Vail school. The new
online application, information and procedures are linked below.
Open Enrollment Application
Picture Day
Student Recognition Corner Tatianna Huish (Mrs. Short) - Mrs. Short nominates Tatianna Huish as February's Student of the Month. Tatianna adds positively to class discussions, works hard, and does an excellent job communicating when she needs help. Her efforts have paid off thus far with great success in high school Honors Geometry. Additionally, she's wonderful to be around, ready to share a fun story and her positive attitude...which is no easy feat during this bizarre school year. Tatianna, I'm so thankful to have the opportunity to teach you this year! Paxton Tanksley (Team D) - Team D is proud to recognize the hard work and dedication of Paxton. Paxton is a remote student who has never missed a conference, and participates positively in class discussions. His work is beyond compare--always well done and on time. Paxton could easily be recognized every single day for his excellence! He is a true Desert Sky super star! Israel Hernandez (James/Jeffries) - We are proud to recognize Israel Hernandez as our student of the month. Israel Hernandez has been a super star ever since school started! He enters a room with enthusiasm and kindness. Israel truly cares about others, as can be seen by his positive, thoughtful interactions with everyone around him. Israel's work ethic is something to be admired and works very hard to maintain excellent grades in every class. He gives every single assignment his full effort, and is not satisfied until he knows he has done his best. While being remote, Israel shows up to every conference, turns on his camera, and always participates fully in the lessons. His positivity, perseverance, sense of humor, and great attitude makes him a model student, and we are so proud of him and happy to have in our classes! Zurius Romero (Thorpe/Smith-Dryden) - We would like to recognize Zurius Romero for the outstanding student and person that he is! Zurius always comes to our classes prepared to learn, have fun, and engage in the class. He is always willing to share and read, and does not shy away from keeping his camera on to fully participate in class. Zurius is super outgoing and is a wonderful student to have in class. On top of being an outstanding student, he even finds time to train and compete in Jiu Jitsu. He always makes sure we are smiling with his incredibly polite manners and fun personality. We are lucky to have Zurius on our team! Cedric Supomo (Team C) - Team C would like to recognize Cedric Supomo as February's Student of the Month! In a class full of excellent students, Cedric stands out with his care and attention to detail in all his work. Cedric works very hard to achieve a level of excellence in his classes that is not easy to match. Aside from his academics, Cedric is a polite and conscientious student that is always willing to help his fellow classmates and teachers. We are very lucky to have Cedric with us on Team C and are very proud of the amazing student he is! Martin Ho (Thach/Olvera) - The Thach/Olvera team would like to recognize Martin Ho. Martin is an exemplary student. He works diligently to make sure all of his assignments are completed to the highest of standards. Martin cares about others and is always willing to help his peers and his teachers. He has a great sense of humor and is a joy to be around. We are proud to have Martin on our team! Joaquin Lopez Santiago (Thach/Olvera) - The Thach/Olvera team is happy to recognize Joaquin Lopez Santiago as a student of the month. Joaquin is a role model to others. Not only is Joaquin a brilliant student, he is kind and helpful to teachers and students alike. He takes his education seriously, keeping track of his grades and is always looking to learn more. Thank you, Joaquin! Katherine Jordan (Team B) - Team B teachers recognize Katherine Jordan. This young lady is the first to turn on her camera each day. She enthusiastically participates and completes her work. Her work
first to turn on her camera each day. She enthusiastically participates and completes her work. Her work isn’t just completed, though; it’s consistently excellent. We look forward to having her in class each day, and anticipate the day when we can teach her in person. Bibiana Tanori (Team E) - Team E enthusiastically recognizes the hard work and determination shown by Ms. Bibiana Tanori this month. It is a surprise to nobody that remote and hybrid learning have presented everybody with numerous challenges. We have all found ourselves taking on extra responsibilities at home, at school, both online and offline. Bibiana exemplifies somebody who has inherited these obstacles and handled each one with a respectful and engaging attitude that would make some adults jealous. She never offers excuses, completes her work, and asks for help when needed. We have no doubts that she would act this way in a typical school year, but we are blown away by the maturity and grace she has shown in the midst of this pandemic. Keep up the great work, Bibi! Alek Ledezma (Hill/Willard/Crabtree/Chen) - Our team is excited to recognize Alek Ledezma as our February Student of the Month! Alek is a hard-worker who treats everyone with kindness and respect. He keeps up with his assignments and obligations and communicates well with his teachers. Even though Alek tends to be a bit reserved, he does not shy away from participating in class and smiling at our not-so-funny jokes just to make us feel better. His joyful smile and big heart make him a welcome and appreciated part of the team! Thank you, Alek! Keep up the great work! Grace Baranello (Team A) - It is with great enthusiasm that Team A recognizes Grace Baranello as December's Student of the Month. Grace has displayed excellence in the areas of academics, attendance, determination, teamwork, and leadership. During these challenging times of remote learning, Grace has not faltered in the least and has shown great consistency in her academic excellence. Her assignments reflect her work ethic and her desire to put forth her very best effort. She is additionally kind and shows respect for her parents, peers, and teachers. We are truly happy to have Grace as a Desert Sky Cougar and have high expectations that she will do great things in her future! Send Us Snapshots for the Yearbook
Order Your Yearbook
High School Choice is Underway
Attention Parents/Families of Current 8th Grade Students,
Please check out our new website full of valuable
information.
The Vail School District has created six unique high schools
for our students and families to choose from. Rather than
simply choosing the high school that is closest to their home, families are encouraged to select a high
school that best fits their child’s individual needs and interests.
Vail families participate in the High School Choice process while students are in 8th grade to determine
the high school placement for their student.
If you have further questions please email schoolchoice@vailschooldistrict.org.
We hope you have enjoyed the February issue of the Cougar Call. Please be on the lookout for further
issues in the upcoming months.
Sincerely,
DSMS News Crew
DSMS Contacts
Front Office Numbers Site Council
Principal Natascha Blum - Parent
Rebecca Marsh Erin Dunbar - Parent
879-2704 Brian Goodall - Parent
Meridy Twilling - Parent
Assistant Principal Sheri Aken - Certified Staff
Lisa Scott Kristi Hill - Certified Staff
879-2715 Karleene Talley - Classified Staff
Front Office
879-2702 PTO Board
Attendance Vicki Williams-Potter
879-2702 Roxana Samiengo879-2702 Roxana Samiengo
Kristi Mooney
Patti House
Quick Links
DSMS Website 2020-2021 Calendar Vail School District
PowerSchool Tax Credits VSD Transportation
Desert Sky Middle School | 520-879-2700| 9850 E. Rankin Loop Tucson, AZ 85747
Office Hours: 7:30 - 3:30
Vail School District | P.O. Box 800, 13801 E. Benson Highway, Vail, AZ 85641
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