We hope that our families had a great Thanksgiving!
Dowagiac Middle School
Welcome Back!
Internet Safety
8th grade Basketball
7th grade Basketball
DMS NJHS Food Drive
Roundup and Upcoming Events :
Hello DMS Families,
The Boy's 7th & 8th grade Basketball Teams have been showing their grit on the court. Both teams fought hard in their home game this week against Bridgman Middle School. They will resume play today facing Coloma Middle School at home.
Students and staff were educated on the issue of "Sextortion" by U.S. Department of Justice FBI Supervisor, Ms. Tricia Kovac, on Thursday, November 21st. She spoke to the entire student body about the importance of not having conversations with people you don't know over the internet even if they appear to be their age. We were very thankful she was able to come to DMS to share her message of how to stay safe from online predators.
We want to give a BIG SHOUT OUT to Mrs. Marrs and our National Junior Honor Society for helping collect over 1600 nonperishable food items. During the month of November, DMS students and their families helped donate over 1600 food items that will be distributed to needy families in our community for the Holidays. We are doing our part to SERVE our community which is our District's Mission. Keep up the good work CHIEFTAINS!
Students at DMS were treated to a "Terrific Tuesday" assembly on Tuesday, November 26th, for getting to their classes on time and getting the job done in the classroom. Students had the opportunity to spend time with their peers and participate in a multitude of games/relays aimed at building school community. We want to extend a special "Thank You" to Coach Sara Melvin and her DMS Sideline Cheer Team for helping make this month's event fun and memorable!
GREAT things are always happening at DMS!
Dr. Wightman
DMS Cheer Team Terrific Tues.
Terrific Tues. Cookie Challenge
Terrific Tues. Hungry Hippos
Staff Weekly Updates
Here is what students have been doing in their classrooms
Mr. Schuur - Choir
The Winter Choir Concert will be held on Thursday December 12th, 2024 at 7:00pm in the DMS PAC. This 6th-12th grade concert is free and open to the public - and we hope you will join us as we celebrate the seasons with wintery songs and lots of holiday classics.
Mrs. Wilson’s 8th grade ELA classes, have been diving into their first novel of the year, Fever 1793. Through this historical fiction story, students are immersing themselves in the life of a teenage protagonist navigating life during an epidemic. As we have progressed through the book, we have been analyzing and discussing various narrative elements and figurative language used by the author to convey the emotional depth of the story. Students have been relating to the struggles and triumphs of the characters, gaining a deeper understanding of the themes and messages woven throughout the novel. It has been a thought-provoking and engaging experience as they explore the power of storytelling and its impact on their own lives and are able to make connections to the Covid epidemic.
7th Grade Math with Miss Bee
We are learning all about adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing with Integers; Positive and Negative Numbers! And guess what, NO CALCULATORS! Your scholars are using the old fashioned pencil and paper to work out each operation with Integers! Check out our team work toward the dreamwork!
Mrs. Leighton's SOAR Class
Students warmed up with Xtra Math and learned how to organize their time and manage stress this week. Students created a schedule of their time, searched for downtime, and came up with constructive ways to use their downtime. We also used Blookets to review for their quiz.
Mrs. Cline
Art students have been working hard in class and the displays show it! Masks are on display in the case. Patterns line the walls of the main hall. Prints are present outside the Main Office.
Mrs. Leighton
Mrs. Leighton's Life Skills class learned how to read food labels, specifically what to eat and limit. They also worked in groups to make breakfast burritos.
Mrs. Wightman - Science
6th Grade STEM
For the past several weeks we have been learning about Potential and Kinetic Energy and how the energy gets transferred to another object. Students are now in the process of working on creating their own chain reaction machine using Rube Goldberg as our inspiration. We have also been reviewing some of the different types of simple machines that they might include in the design of their machine. Their goal for the chain reaction machine is to crush an aluminum foil can.
Mrs. Wightman's 7th Grade Life Science
For the past two weeks we have been learning about DNA and how inherited traits are passed down from parents to their offspring. Our culminating acting involved building a double helix DNA model. Each partner group had to build their model from a card with a person's name on it that listed specific traits for eye color, hair color, height, dominant hand, and nose shape After they built their own model, they then had to decode other groups' DNA models to identify which person that group had.
Events
December 2 - 7th/8th Grade Boys Basketball - CANCELED
December 4 - Lions Vision Screening
December 6 - Dowagiac Holiday Parade - 7PM
December 9 - 7th/8th Grade Boys Basketball - AWAY vs Berrien Springs 4PM
December 11 - DMS/DUHS Band Concert - PAC 7PM
December 12 - DMS/DUHS Choir Concert - PAC 7PM
Reminders
Lions Vision Screening
ATTENTION BUS RIDERS: rider families to make sure they are at bus stop pickups and ready to hop on the bus 5-10 early each day so that they drivers and routes can stay on schedule!!!
If you would like to recognize a DMS staff member for a special "Chieftains Shout Out", please use the following link to do so: Staff Shout Out Link
After School Tutoring Opportunities
For students who need extra help we offer after school tutoring opportunities. Each session runs from 2:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m., no appointment necessary.
FYI-Transportation will not be provided for those staying. Those students will need to be picked up or given permission to walk home at the end of each session in the front of the school building.
Tutoring Schedule:
Monday, Wednesday & Thursday: ELA
Monday, Wednesday & Thursday: Math
Monday & Wednesday: Social Studies
Building Information
Principal:
Dr. Sean Wightman
swightman@dowagaicschools.org
Assistant Principal:
Courtney Harjung
charjung@dowagiacschools.org
Secretary:
Tammi Spivey
tspivey@dowagiacschools.org
Guidance Secretary:
Jennifer O'Brien
jobrien@dowagiacschools.org
Drop Off Time: 7:25 a.m.
Breakfast: 7:25 a.m.-7:35 a.m.
Building Times: 7:37 a.m.-2:23 p.m.
Half Day Dismissal: 10:47 a.m.
Building Office Phone:269-782-4440
Social Media
Dowagiac Middle School Website:
https://www.dowagiacschools.org/o/dms
Dowagiac Middle School Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/DowagiacMiddle/
Lunch Menu:
https://dowagiacschools.nutrislice.com/menu
District Website:
https://www.dowagiacschools.org/
District Facebook:
Daily Bell Schedule
6th Grade
7:25-Student Drop Off/Breakfast
7:37-8:29 1st Period
8:33-9:23-2nd Period
9:27-10:17-3rd Period
10:17-10:47-Lunch A
10:51-11:41-4th Period
11:45-12:35-5th Period
12:39-1:29-6th Period
1:33-2:23-7th Period
2:23-Dismissal
7th Grade
7:25-Student Drop Off/Breakfast
7:37-8:29 1st Period
8:33-9:23-2nd Period
9:27-10:17-3rd Period
10:21-11:11-4th Period
11:11-11:41-Lunch B
11:45-12:35-5th Period
12:39-1:29-6th Period
1:33-2:23-7th Period
2:23-Dismissal
8th Grade
7:25-Student Drop Off/Breakfast
7:37-8:29 1st Period
8:33-9:23-2nd Period
9:27-10:17-3rd Period
10:21-11:11-4th Period
11:15-12:05-5th Period
12:05-12:35-Lunch C
12:39-1:29-6th Period
1:33-2:23-7th Period
2:23-Dismissal