Important Upcoming Dates: |
January 23rd: Redwood High School Band -Student Assembly |
February 17th-21st: Mid-Winter Break (NO SCHOOL) |
March 7th: End of Trimester 2 |
March 17th: Staff Development Day (NO SCHOOL) |
April 7th-11th: Spring Break (NO SCHOOL) |
Families,
As we observed Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, we are reminded of Dr. King’s profound and lasting impact on our nation. Through his leadership in the Civil Rights Movement, he challenged the status quo, advocating for racial equality and justice. His vision for a more inclusive society continues to resonate, inspiring individuals across generations to stand up for what is right, to embrace diversity, and to work towards positive change. Dr. King's commitment to nonviolence and his message of love, peace, and service have helped shape the very fabric of our country, reminding us that each of us has the power to contribute to the greater good.
Here at Del Mar, we have successfully transitioned into the new year. Our students have been fully engaged in their learning and have had a positive presence on campus. One example of this was last week’s Egypt project exhibit presentations (pictures below). I was so impressed with all of our 6th graders. They did a terrific job on their work and presentations. Special thanks to our 6th grade humanities teachers, Ms. O’Leary, Mr. Sargent and Ms. Tuatagaloa, for helping to facilitate the project.
Warmly, Chad Stuart
Principal |
Mid-trimester alerts were made available for viewing as of last Friday. In lieu of progress alerts, our teaching staff has updated their gradebooks and provided specific feedback with regards to each student's habits of learning. If needed, please review this short video on how to access and review your student's progress in ALMA - it also includes some tips for parents on tracking student progress in ALMA. Should you need help accessing ALMA, please visit this site: https://help.reedschools.org/ | Parent Education Opportunity | Del Mar PTA will be hosting a workshop on February 6th from 6-7:30.
See the flyer below: Middle school is a really important time for your family. This small window of opportunity can have huge impacts on how you and your children relate to each other now and into the future. Conflict Prevention Specialist and Del Mar Graduate Lisa Rothman will give you some practical and effective ideas for making the most of it. Students as young as 10 are welcome. Register HERE. | Cold and Flu Season is Here! |
There has been a lot of sickness going around school. Please keep your children home if they are sick. Also, please encourage your children to wash their hands with soap frequently. Please note that after an illness, your child must be free of vomiting and fever (without the use of fever-reducing medication) for at least 24 hours before returning to school. Thanks for your help keeping our Del Mar community healthy. | Staff Spotlight- Ms. Spike |
By: Jack, Tala, Rory, and Anna (Del Mar Leadership Students)
This week's Staff Spotlight is Del Mar’s very own Ms. Spike! Ms. Spike has been a proud member of the Del Mar community for 36 years. She grew up in the avocado capital of the world, Escondido, California. Growing up, Ms. Spike was immersed in education, as her mom was a science teacher. She always enjoyed helping her mom grade papers and set up for class almost every day. Throughout high school, Ms. Spike developed a passion for history, as her history teacher made the subject come alive for her. Ms. Spike skipped her senior year of high school at sixteen years old and attended the University of California, Irvine, where she developed her love for teaching and history. After college, she earned her license as an archaeological field worker and traveled the world, working at sites and digging up ancient artifacts and bodies. One time, she traveled to the island of Cyprus, where she unearthed a goat and almost thirty skeletons.
As a history teacher, Ms. Spike loves to travel the world to give her students firsthand accounts of what life is like in the places she teaches them about. This year, she is working a half-year with Mr. Deppe, during which she has time off to travel. Ms. Spike plans to visit Japan, Venice, and travel through Italy. After working around the world as an archaeologist, she returned home to ultimately find a job in the world of education. She eventually landed a teaching job, but only taught for a year before the local military base shut down, causing many families to leave and leading to her being laid off. Ms. Spike found Del Mar while searching for job openings in a magazine. At first, she didn't think Del Mar was anything special, but after asking around and hearing how nice Del Mar and Tiburon were, she took a chance and pursued her dream of becoming a history teacher. She has been a role model and leader on campus ever since.
Ms. Spike is known to be one of the most creative and influential teachers at Del Mar, thanks to her kindness and love for the history of our world. Every day, Ms. Spike comes to school with a smile on her face and motivation that comes from her love and passion for teaching. Ms. Spike says that she loves teaching seventh grade because her students are mature but don’t really care what others think, allowing them to step outside of their comfort zone and thrive while having fun in her class. Ms. Spike strives to make history come alive for her students through fun and engaging stories. As mentioned earlier, Ms. Spike has worked at Del Mar for thirty-six years, making her the longest-serving teacher at Del Mar. In her career at Del Mar, Ms. Spike has seen it all. She has witnessed the construction of a new gym, the growth of technology in schools, and has taught many students who are the children of students she taught years ago.
One thing Ms. Spike believes makes Del Mar different from other schools is the strong teacher-student community, along with the fact that students are able to participate in the democratic process, allowing them to engage in real-life topics and decisions that will affect their futures. Ms. Spike says the school system as a whole at Del Mar is a great place to work because the student body cares for each other, and the school system doesn’t let kids fail, creating a safe space where positive things happen. Ms. Spike is most proud of her work for the teachers’ union and the RDTA. One thing people might not know about Ms. Spike is that she used to run a radio show in her spare time out of Sausalito.
Ms. Spike loves every aspect of the ancient times she teaches in her history class. Her love for history makes class easier for her students and prepares them for eighth grade. All in all, Ms. Spike is the definition of what a teacher should stand for and brightens everyone’s day, continuing her long-lasting legacy within the Del Mar community and the Reed Union School District as a whole!
| Please Remember to Pack Snacks! |
We are proud to provide free breakfast and lunch to our students every day as part of our commitment to supporting their well-being and education. Our breakfast offerings include a choice of a pastry or cereal, milk, and fruit, which are served from the office before school begins.
Recently, we've noticed an increase in students visiting the office during the day requesting snacks, as well as some challenges with cereal being misused on campus and an uptick in litter. To address these concerns, we’d like to remind families of the following: -
Snack Policy: Students are encouraged to bring their own snacks to school or bring $1 to purchase a snack at the Delmarket. The Delmarket, run by our Leadership class, is open most days during the first break.
- Breakfast Expectations: While we will continue to provide breakfast before school, we ask for students’ cooperation in enjoying it responsibly and ensuring that trash is properly disposed of to help keep our campus clean.
We appreciate your support in reinforcing these reminders with your students, plus encouraging them to head to the office if they do not feel well, are hungry or need to call home. Together, we can ensure a positive and respectful environment for everyone on campus. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. | Lunches for the Month of January | From our PTA Site Chair, Argavan Nilfaroush:
I want to extend my sincerest gratitude for your incredible generosity this holiday season through the Adopt a Family program. The thoughtful gifts and notes shared with families have truly brightened their holidays in the most meaningful way. It has been a beautiful reminder of the power of community and compassion.
From a note to Del Mar from an Adopt a Family recipient: "Your support this year is a special gift—generously given, happily accepted, and truly a blessing to our hearts. We feel deeply appreciated and grateful."
Lunch Volunteers Needed
We are looking for volunteers to help with lunch duty on Wednesdays for Group C (remaining dates are February 5, March 12, April 16, May 14 and June 11). Grab a friend, lend a hand, and support our community. Add your name to the sign up sheet or contact Chenin Malloy at chenin.malloy@gmail.com for more information.
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A huge shoutout and heartfelt appreciation to Chenin Malloy! Chenin wears many hats and is always ready to step in wherever needed. From coordinating lunch volunteers to serving as the 6th Grade/New Student Orientation Co-Chair, and so much more, her dedication and support make a big difference in our school community. Thank you, Chenin, for all that you do! |
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. | Bell Schedule Our 2024-25 regular bell schedule can be found HERE. |
Attendance Instructions- Arriving Late? Leaving Early? | Leaving before end of day?
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! 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. Any student leaving before the end of the day must be signed out by their parent or an authorized adult.
You'd like your child to sign out on their own? If you would like your child to excuse themselves and head out on their own, we must get that request in writing to delmar@reedschools.org and your child will need to sign out in the office
Student arriving late? Students arriving late to school must sign in with the office and get a tardy slip before going to class.
Full Day Absences:
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." Unexcused absences do 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.
| 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/ Our WEBSITE is HERE. 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 |
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