Tomorrow--October 10th: "Pink Out" Day at Del Mar! (Cancer awareness day-announced to students) | November 1st: Staff Development Day (NO SCHOOL) | November 6th: Picture Re-Take Day | November 11th: Veterans' Day (NO SCHOOL) | November 15th: End of First Trimester | November 25th-November 29th: Thanksgiving Week (NO SCHOOL) | Families,
I’ve been very impressed with our students and our staff over the past week. We have had many days of extreme heat on campus. It is difficult to stay focused and engaged when that is the case. Fatigue most certainly set in this week, but we all were resilient and gave our best effort!
Our teachers published mid-trimester report cards on Friday. Please log on to your Alma account to view these. I recommend you read the comments and also sit with your child to discuss. This is part of our ongoing commitment to communicate with our families about student progress.
Lastly, Hispanic Heritage Month ends on October 15th. Our teacher-librarian, Mr. Ryan Sonneville, made THIS video that all of our students viewed in Advisory. It gives a nice glimpse into some topical activities going on at Del Mar.
Sincerely,
Chad Stuart (he/him) | Mid-Trimester Progress Reports | Our teachers have updated and provided specific feedback regarding each student's habits of learning in ALMA. You may review this short video on how to access and review your student's progress in ALMA. Should you need help accessing ALMA, please visit this site: https://help.reedschools.org/ | Student Interview Staff Spotlight: Mr. LaDale McDaniel
| By: Jack Miller, Anna Landis, Tala Sarhangi, and Rory Barnowski This week's staff spotlight is Del Mar’s very own Mr. LaDale McDaniel! Mr. McDaniel is an instructional support aide and is a key figure in the community and the support of Del Mar. He was born in Bakersfield, California with nine brothers and sisters. Growing up he got used to being in a very noisy and active household which has ultimately benefited him when working in large groups and with different students here at Del Mar. Before finding a job within the RUSD community, he worked one on one with students trying to help them succeed in a school environment. To best help and work with different students all throughout Del Mar, Mr. McDaniel works to learn as much as he can about every subject to best care for the needs and understanding of every student he helps. Mr. McDaniel prefers to work in a group setting with different students and material to help with. Adding on, Mr. McDaniel comes to school every day with a smile on his face and the goal of saying hi and making a new student feel welcome every day. Mr. McDaniel has worked within the school district for almost a decade.One thing he would like to see improve is the awareness of Black History especially during Black History month throughout Del Mar. If you're looking for Mr. McDaniel around campus, watch out for his iconic trash panda t-shirt and his infamous purple “I’m Cold” hoodie. Mr. McDaniel is most proud of how excited everyone is to see him everyday, so if you see him around campus, make sure to say hi and thank him for all he does to strengthen the Del Mar Community!
| We had our 8th grade Challenge Days last week. Sharing common experiences and hearing the life stories of peers is an excellent way for our students to connect and have empathy for each other. One of the themes of Challenge Day was: “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” It was a powerful experience. We appreciate all who were involved in organizing this event, especially Dr. David Kover. Thank you to the parent volunteers who helped during the event. | New Rules on eBikes/Bike Registration | REMINDER Information on Super73 e-Bikes - RUSD received updated information from our law enforcement partners that Super73 e-bikes (except for the K1D model) are not classified as Class 2 e-bikes even though they are branded as Class 2. Any e-bike that has the ability to emit power in excess of 750w or has a throttle that enables it to travel faster than 20mph is legally classified as a motorized bicycle/moped or electric motorcycle.” (CA Veh Code 312.5). Because of this classification, a driver’s license is needed and therefore students can not ride these bikes on a school campus.
Our plan is to give families with Super73 eBikes some time to find other means of transportation for their student(s). We apologize for this inconvenience. With that, we will begin enforcing no Super73s on our campus beginning November 4th. As a reminder, we already do not allow any Class 3 e-bikes or e-scooters on campus.
REMINDER information on all bikes - we have begun handing out stickers indicating that a bike is registered. All bikes on our campus must be registered. If you have yet to register your child’s bike, you must do so and provide proof of registration to the main office. More information can be found HERE.
| Picture Day - Did You See Your Student's ID Card From Yesterday? Time to Order School Pictures!
| Students were photographed yesterday and should have brought home their ID card for you to see. To order school photos, please use the QR code or website information below. Dorian wants all orders by Saturday October 12th at midnight. Orders after that date will include a shipping fee. Picture Make-Up Day is November 6th for students who were absent or need a re-do. | From the Marin County Office of Education (MCOE): We are excited to invite you to an upcoming virtual event featuring renowned psychologist and New York Times bestselling author, Dr. Madeline Levine. Join us for an engaging discussion on "Preparing Our Kids to Thrive in an Uncertain & Rapidly Changing World" as Dr. Levine addresses the unique challenges our children face today.
In this session, Dr. Levine will explore the demands stemming from today's competitive environment, the impact of social media engagement, and the implications of constant device dependency. She will shed light on how these factors heighten the pressure on our children regarding academic performance and achievement.
Drawing from her extensive research and experience, Dr. Levine will offer effective, evidence-based strategies to help parents, caregivers and educators nurture resilient, motivated children who can thrive in this complex landscape and achieve their goals.
There are two offerings this school year: - Tuesday, October 29, 2024 from 6:30 – 7:30pm (Virtual) or
- Tuesday, March 18, 2025 from 6:30 – 7:30pm (Virtual)
REGISTER HERE. | District Earthquake Drill | Dear Del Mar Middle School Community,
Creating and maintaining the safest possible learning environment for our students and staff is our top priority. As a school and district, it is important that we review and conduct our emergency procedures and drills throughout the school year, and practicing and reviewing our emergency drills is a critical component of safety. Next week, October 17, 2024, we will be conducting a districtwide earthquake drill at 10:17 a.m. during an extended 5th period. In the next few days, please look out for additional information about the drill communication you will receive from us before, during, and after the drill. Prior to the drill, if your phone (landline and mobile) and e-mail contact information has changed since registering your child in our schools, please be sure to e-mail delmar@reedschools.org or call our main office at (415) 435-1468 to provide your updated contact information. | Lunches for Month of October | Upcoming Foundation event: 10/9 Run for Reed @ Blackie's 10/17 Scholar's Circle Party | Fall Musical - Tickets on Sale Now!
Rehearsals are in full swing for "Broadway Bound: A Musical Theatre Revue" presented by the Del Mar PTA, directed by Ms. Derby and starring nearly 30 of our very talented Del Mar students.
The performance is scheduled for Thursday, November 14, at 6:30p. You won't want to miss this show highlighting scenes from beloved musicals, including Grease, Les Miserables and Six! Purchase tickets here. We are also looking for a few parent/guardian volunteers to help before and on the day of the performance. Please sign up here. See you on Broadway! | Del Mar PTA Meeting- Thursday, October 10th
Please join us for our next Del Mar PTA meeting on Thursday, October 10th, at 8:30 AM in the Del Mar Library! Come hear updates on recent and upcoming events as well as more information about Measure B, the bond measure on the November ballot for the Tamalpais Union High School District. We hope to see you there! Lunch Volunteers – A Huge Thank You! Thank you to everyone who has signed up for lunch duty! If you’d like to join the sub list, we’d love to have extra help available throughout the year. Lunch Duty Sign-Up Sheet Pay your PTA Dues! It’s not too late - please pay your PTA Dues. Every little bit counts and helps us reach our goal of 100% participation!
See your PTA dues at work in this video and pay your dues HERE. Thankful Thursdays - Each month our Del Mar PTA showers our fabulous Del Mar teachers and staff on Thankful Thursday with breakfast treats. This month‘s spread featured pumpkin bread, fresh fruit, a yogurt & granola bar, and granola bars. | 8th Grade Hoodies- 3 more days to order! The tradition continues! The Del Mar Class of 2025´s "8th Grade Only” hoodie sweatshirt is now available to order! The sweatshirt includes the names of all the 8th graders on the back and the Del Mar logo on the front.
The sweatshirt is soft, high quality fleece hoodie in the color Eucalyptus blue with blue print on the back and a dark yellow print on the sleeve and on the back. It comes in the following sizes; Adult X-small, Small, Medium, Large and X-large. Chest measures is 32-34 (XS), 35-37 (S), 38-40 (M), 41-43 (L), 44-46(XL)
Please order by this Friday (10/11), and the hoodies will be delivered to school in early November. LINK TO ORDER | Measure B
Join the RUSD PTA in supporting Measure B!
What is Measure B?
Measure B is a responsible plan to replace outdated and deteriorating high school classrooms and prevent cuts to instructional programs. It provides $289 million in locally controlled funding to address the most urgent and essential needs at each high school. The State does not provide dedicated funding for school facility repairs and improvements, so local funding from Measure B is the only realistic way to upgrade aging and deteriorating high school classrooms, labs, and school facilities.
Didn’t we just vote on a bond measure for local high schools?
Measure A on the March 2024 ballot would have provided $517 million in funding to repair and upgrade local high schools, which is the full cost of the needed upgrades identified in TUHSD’s Facilities Master Plan. Measure A fell a few hundred votes short of the 55% voter support needed for approval. Following the Measure A election, TUHSD leaders worked with the community to develop a scaled-down proposal that focuses on the most urgent and high priority facility improvements. Measure B is the result of this work.
How is Measure B different from the prior bond proposal?
Measure B is 44% smaller than the bond proposed in March and has a scaled-down project list that focuses only on the projects at each high school that are most urgent and essential for student safety, supporting quality instruction, and keeping local high schools functioning. The tax rate for Measure B is $18 per $100,000 of assessed value (not market value), or almost half the cost of the prior bond proposal.
How are students in our local high schools performing academically?
By any measure, academic performance in our schools is among the best in the State and the Nation. In TUHSD high schools, 98% of students graduate, 80% meet University of California entrance requirements, and admission rates to elite colleges rival that of private schools.
What is the state of TUHSD high school classrooms, labs, and facilities?
While TUHSD provides students with a high-quality education, local high school classrooms, labs, and facilities are more than 60 years old, are deteriorating and need urgent upgrades. The last significant upgrades to local high schools occurred when voters last approved bond funding nearly 20 years ago.
Will all local high schools receive funding from Measure B?
Yes, the detailed and specific project list for Measure B allocates funding to each high school for the highest priority projects on each campus. The funding is split equitably among all high schools based roughly on each high school’s percentage of total district student enrollment.
Specifically, what types of projects would Measure B fund?
Funding from Measure B would be used to replace the most outdated and obsolete classrooms, science labs, technology, and equipment. It will repair or replace replace leaking roofs and inefficient heating, cooling, electrical and plumbing systems. Measure B funds will replace outdated and deteriorating temporary portable classrooms.
What if I don't have children in local high schools?
Even if you don’t have school-age children, Measure B is a smart investment. High-quality schools protect and strengthen the value of our homes and enhance the quality of life in our community.
Will all Measure B funds benefit our local high schools only?
Yes. Every dollar raised by Measure B is locally controlled and can only be used for critical and urgent school repairs only identified in Measure B’s legally binding project list. No funds can be taken away by the State or diverted to other uses.
Who supports Measure B?
Measure B is supported by a broad coalition of teachers, parents, students, and education leaders like Marin County Superintendent of Schools John Carroll and Mary Jane Burk (ret). Local elected leaders like Congressman Jared Huffman, County Supervisor Stephanie Moulton-Peters, and former Supervisor Katie Rice endorse Measure B along with many members of our local city councils and elementary school district boards of education. Respected organizations like the League of Women Voters and Marin Democratic Party recommend a YES vote.
To learn more about the proposed projects, visit https://www.yesonbtuhsd.org/proposed-projects
Thank you for supporting Measure B and Voting YES on B!
| Halloween is Coming up Soon~Here is our Spooktacular plan! | At Del Mar, students can wear their Halloween costume all day if they'd like! Our Leadership class will be sponsoring a costume contest at lunchtime as well, and the students will be getting a link to sign up for the contest in their email. Please encourage your student to join the fun! Please also be mindful of sharing candy. We have several students with food allergies! PTA will be giving all students a Halloween treat during Advisory. | Follow us on Instagram! You can find us in three places:
@rusdpta
@delmar.middleschool.dragons
@reedschools | Keep a lookout for the Student Bulletin, so you can keep up with student news, sports updates, Advisory Challenges, Club News, etc. The Bulletin is generally a TV broadcast on Monday afternoons, plus a written copy is emailed to parents and students. A link to the Student Bulletin is HERE. | Let's Talk. (Marin Healthy Youth Partnership-TONIGHT!!!) | LET’S TALK: JUST SAY KNOW on THE LATEST ON THC AND NICOTINE on Wednesday, October 9th at 7PM on Zoom featuring guest speakers:
DR. BONNIE HALPERN-FELSHER, PhD, FSAHM is a developmental
psychologist in the Division of Adolescent Medicine, Department of Pediatrics,
Stanford University. She is the founder and executive director of the Tobacco
Prevention Toolkit, the Cannabis Awareness and Prevention Toolkit, and the
Vaping Information, Solutions, and Interventions Toolkit.
GABRIELLE BEYER is a Tamalpais High School senior and Youth Transforming
Justice intern. | Bell Schedule Our 2024-25 regular bell schedule can be found HERE. | Attendance Instructions- Arriving Late? Leaving Early? | Please call the office on the day of your child's absence by 8:00 a.m. (435-1468, ext. 1) or email delmar@reedschools.org. This will eliminate the need for a call from the office. We expect students to attend school, unless there is an excused absence-for illness, injury, a medical/dental appointment or a religious holiday. All other absences are marked "unexcused." Absence does not excuse a student from the classroom assignment. All assignments are available on the teacher websites. It is the student's responsibility to check the websites and make up for missed work once they are healthy. Students arriving late to school must sign in with the office and get a tardy slip before going to class. If you need to pick your child up for any reason, please try to do so between classes, and be sure to remind your child to come to the office to meet you there, without needing a call from the office. If your child must leave in the middle of any class, please send your child with a note to give to the teacher so they can excuse themselves in the middle of class. We do not ever want to call into a classroom unless there is an emergency, so please plan accordingly! Any student leaving before the end of the day must be signed out by their parent or an authorized adult. If you would like your child to excuse themselves and head out on their own, we MUST HAVE THAT REQUEST IN WRITING to delmar@reedschools.org. | To locate teacher emails, click HERE, to call the front office dial 415-435-1468 ext. 2. For the office managers contact Laurie Kristy at lkristy@reedschools.org or Lisa Grinnell lgrinnell@reedschools.org, If you or your child need tech help, go to: https://help.reedschools.org/ RUSD Mission & Vision: Each student will be challenged and inspired to reach their fullest intellectual, social-emotional and creative potential to positively impact the world. | Chad Stuart, Principal Del Mar Middle School | |
