Greetings DMS Chieftains Families,

There are a lot of things happening this week we would like for you to know about.

First, It's Homecoming Spirit Week at DMS. Our Student Council is sponsoring "Spirit Dress Up Days" and we are planning on having our own "Fun Friday School Spirit Assembly" on Friday, October 4th.

Wednesday, October 2nd is "Count Day" and Parent Teacher Conferences at DMS. We ask that you please send your child to school on this day. Those students who attend will receive incentives for coming to school (e.g. extra credit, DMS apparel, Lunch Treat, Varsity Homecoming Game Ticket, etc.). In the afternoon, we will have teachers available to meet with you from 4:30-7:30 pm. We are looking forward to seeing everyone.

Thursday, October 3rd is a 1/2 Day of School (Dismissal 10:47 AM). FYI-We have a shortened day so we can provide families with another opportunity to meet with their son's or daughter's teachers if they were unable to stop in the day before.

Our Volleyball and Football Teams continue their successful seasons having won games against their opponents last week. Additionally, our DMS Esports Team started their season and we look forward to another successful year competing in the national MSEL League.

Finally, students a DMS who were interested in being a part of our Robotics Team have signed up last week. They will be contacted by our new coach and begin working on preparing for competitions. This year's coach is Mr. Adam Carr, who teaches Industrial Technology at both DMS and DUHS.

Great things are always happening at DMS!

Onward CHIEFTAINS!

Dr. Sean Wightman

Principal

Dowagiac Middle School

Homecoming Spirit Week Dress Up Days sponsored by DMS Student Council

Class Color Day:

6th Grade: YELLOW

7th Grade: GREEN

8th Grade: RED

Staff: Beige

Building Highlights

Algebra

Pre-Algebra students this week are taking notes over the final two sections of module 1 and working on their assignments. We will also spend a day working on our Aleks learning path.

7th Grade Advanced are taking notes over Discounts, Interest, as well as Commission and Fees. They will work on assignments and Aleks as well.

Algebra this week will be taking notes over solving multi-step equations with variables on each side and taking a quiz over the first half of module 2.

Computers

Students in Mrs. Winters's Computers A classes have been learning how to code using code.org. They have been using those skills to solve problems and create art with coding.

Science

6th Grade students in Mrs. Kruger's Earth Science class are learning about the history of the Earth. They researched Earth's atmosphere and climate, Earth's structure and plants and animals then created Geologic Time Scales displaying their information.

STEM

7th grade Life Science is working on identifying the two categories of cells which are Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic. Students are discovering the difference between the two types of cells by using the Gizmo program to view virtual cells. Next week we will be using real microscopes to look at plant and animal cells to identify some of the different structures in those cells.

6th Grade STEM has been using their engineering skills to see who can build the strongest bridge. Students were challenged to see which team could build a bridge to hold over 200 pennies. It took students several attempts to determine where to put supports. By the end of the challenge, we had two teams that built a bridge to hold over 200 pennies.

Industrial Tech

8th grade is ready to measure!!

Math with Miss Bulifant

This week with Miss Bee your scholars are taking their first quiz on Proportional Relationships! They are hard at work to show their understanding of our first Module Objectives! Coming up next week, our first Test! I cannot wait to see their progress so far this year!

7th-Grade Healthy Living

Mrs. Marrs Healthy Living students are focusing on emotional health this week. Students are learning to identify emotions, their own and others, using body language, actions, and words. Students are also learning the importance of reflecting on how they handle their emotions and how emotions impact their lives.

8th-Grade Media Literacy

Last week, students created advertisements for products they like. The class selected their top 5 and asked the DMS staff to vote on a winner. The winner is: Amiah Jones with her Starbucks advertisement!

This week students are learning to analyze television shows. While watching, students analyze the lights, sounds, sets, stories, clothing, acting, and if the show is appropriate for the target audience.

The winner is: Amiah Jones with her Starbucks advertisement

Schedule of Events

September 30 - 7th & 8th Volleyball vs. Coloma @ Coloma 5:00 pm

October 2 - Count Day (Please have your child attend school this day)

October 2 - 7th & 8th Volleyball vs. Berrien Springs @ Berrien Springs, 4:00 pm

October 2 - 7th & 8th Football vs. Fair Plains Renaissance @ Chris Taylor Field 4:30 pm

October 2 - Fall Parent Teacher Conferences, 4:30-7:30 pm

October 3 - 1/2 Day Students (10:47 Dismissal) & Fall Parent Teacher Conferences, 12:00-3:00 pm

Reminders

Please be reminded we have Count Day on Wednesday, October 2nd. We ask that you send your child to school that day. We have a lot of incentives for them if they are able to attend.

Fall Parent Teacher Conferences will be on Wednesday, October 2nd (4:30-7:30 pm) and Thursday, October 3rd (12:00-3:00 pm).

Just another reminder we have a 1/2 Day scheduled on Thursday, October 3rd (Dismissal is at 10:47).

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

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 is needed.

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

Reading is Fun!

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:

https://www.facebook.com/dowagiacschools/

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

Dowagiac Middle School Weekly News

Homecoming Spirit Week Dress Up Days sponsored by DMS Student Council

Building Highlights

Algebra

Computers

Science

STEM

Industrial Tech

Math with Miss Bulifant

The winner is: Amiah Jones with her Starbucks advertisement

Schedule of Events

Reminders

After School Tutoring

Reading is Fun!

Building Information

Social Media

Daily Bell Schedule

GO CHIEFTAINS!