Important Upcoming Dates: |
February 14th: Valentine's Day/Treats available in the DelMarket |
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,
Hope you're doing great! As we work together to help our students grow both academically and personally, I want to take a moment to talk about something that can seriously boost their success—reading at home.
In today’s fast-paced digital world, it’s easy for kids to get caught up in screens—social media, gaming, and videos are everywhere. While tech has its perks, it’s just as important to flex students’ reading muscles! Reading isn’t just about finishing a book; it’s about sharpening critical thinking, expanding vocabulary, and unlocking new ways of seeing the world. Plus, strong reading skills lead to better writing, higher test scores, and stronger focus in the classroom.
As parents and caregivers, you are the key to creating an environment that promotes reading. Here are a few simple suggestions that can help:
- Set aside time each day for reading. Whether it’s 15 minutes before bed or a quiet time during the afternoon, make reading a regular part of your child’s routine. At Del Mar, our students are expected to read for at least 30 minutes every night.
- Create a space for reading. A comfortable, well-lit corner with a few books can inspire your child to pick up a book.
- Limit phone and screen time. Consider setting boundaries for recreational screen time. Encouraging your child to read rather than scroll through social media or play games can make a huge difference.
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Model reading behavior. Children are more likely to read if they see adults in their lives doing the same. Whether it’s a book, magazine, or newspaper, showing your child that reading is important helps instill that value in them.
- Talk about what they’re reading. Ask your child about what they’re reading and show genuine interest.
Speaking of reading, our school has engaged in a school-wide book read. More information on that can be found below. We encourage you to join in and read this book with us! Warmly, Chad Stuart
Principal |
This year, all students at Del Mar will be participating in a school-wide read of The Secret Battle of Evan Pao by Wendy Wan-Long Shang during Advisory. Chosen by a committee of teachers and administrators, this novel explores themes of identity, belonging, and historical perspective—issues we have engaged with students over the past few years. Our school-wide reading will culminate in a special author visit to Del Mar, providing students with the opportunity to discuss the book’s themes directly with its creator.
We invite you to read The Secret Battle of Evan Pao alongside your student and join the conversation. This novel offers a meaningful lens for discussing history, inclusion, and how we shape the communities we live in. Copies are available at local libraries, bookstores, and in digital formats. We look forward to the insights and discussions this book will spark across our school community!
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Del Mar Middle School’s robotics team, the Bearded Dragons, won the NorCal-FTC Pen League Tournament held in Daly City this past weekend. The Bearded Dragons received a trophy, and are now headed to the NorCal championship in San Jose. The team is led by Mr. Nate MacDonald, who teaches Advanced Robotics at Del Mar. Parents credited the students’ hard work and Mr. MacDonald’s outstanding leadership for the win.
The team's robot had to perform student driver-controlled tasks and autonomous (pre-programmed) tasks. These tasks included collecting objects and placing them in specific zones and using hooks to raise itself completely off the ground. The team won alongside Redwood High School’s girls' robotics team (some of whom were on the Bearded Dragons' team last year).
Winning this tournament and advancing to the NorCal championship demonstrated the team’s exceptional skills in designing, building, and programming their robot to successfully complete the competition challenges.
| Pictured from left to right:
Coach Nate MacDonald, Oliva Kellerman (8th grade), Sophia Nachtigall (8th grade), Charlie Levernier (8th grade), Alex Chobantonov (7th grade), River Chong (7th Grade), Ryan Nasser Knowles (7th Grade), Nicholas Totev (7th Grade), Jake Levernier (8th Grade), Axel Smith (8th Grade), Miles Burkland (8th Grade), Nikhil Sanjeev (8th Grade), Sebastien Pascal (8th Grade).
| Parent Education Opportunity-Tomorrow! | Del Mar PTA will be hosting a workshop on February 6th (Tomorrow) from 6-7:30.
Calling all parents and students! Grades 6–8 are a time of self-discovery for kids—where they explore values, interests, and independence. For parents, it’s a shift from managing to consulting, but trust is the key to landing the (unpaid) role. Join us to learn actionable strategies to prevent and navigate conflicts while strengthening trust in your relationship. Let’s turn rupture into repair! Register HERE. | Nurse's Corner/Note Regarding Missed Assignments due to Illness | A Note from our School Nurse:
Respiratory and gastrointestinal viruses are spreading widely this time of year. Please remember a few tips to help keep our schools healthy: - Keep your student home if they are feeling sick. Students must be without fever, vomiting and diarrhea for over 24 hours without medication before returning to school. They should also feel well enough to participate in all school activities.
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Keep your family up to date on flu, COVID-19 and RSV vaccines (it’s not too late!)
- Make sure your children get plenty of sleep each night (9-12 hours)
- Thank you for partnering with us to keep everyone healthy!
From the Principal:
Del Mar teachers will accommodate students for all “excused absences” due do illness. Typically they will provide at least the same amount of time missed from school to make up the work. | Staff Spotlight- Mr. O'Brien | By: Jack, Tala and Anna (Del Mar Leadership Students)
This week's staff spotlight is Del Mar’s very own Mr. O’Brien! Mr. O’Brien grew up in Huntington, Vermont. As a child, Mr. O’Brien developed his love for nature and the outdoors. In Vermont, Mr. O’Brien's closest neighbor lived eight miles away from his house. Growing up, Mr. O’Brien spent a lot of time alone, which provided him opportunities to explore the wilderness by himself. On many occasions, he would get in trouble with his parents for spending hours in the woods without telling them where he was going. Mr. O’Brien carries his love for the outdoors to this day, as he regularly goes on solo backpacking trips throughout California on the weekends. In the 6th grade, Mr. O’Brien’s parents took him on a family vacation to Puerto Rico. In Puerto Rico, Mr. O’Brien went snorkeling through coral reefs, which opened his eyes to the beauty of the world’s oceans and deepened his love and passion for marine biology.
On the weekends, Mr. O’Brien also extends his teaching to the ocean. He teaches scuba diving lessons on the side. His passion for scuba diving allows him to combine his teaching skills with his love for exploring the ocean, as he instructs his students on how to dive while also explaining fascinating facts about the ocean itself. After high school, Mr. O’Brien attended Eckerd College in Florida, where he majored in marine biology. After graduating, he worked on a sea turtle conservation project in Puerto Rico that helped protect sea turtles from being hunted and killed. Later, he moved to California and landed a job at a fish and wildlife organization, where he tracked fish populations and monitored the number of fish being caught. Mr. O’Brien got his first taste of teaching when schools visited the organization’s marine biology center, where he taught students about the project and emphasized the importance of protecting California’s fish population. There, he realized how much he enjoyed teaching kids and inspiring younger generations about marine biology. As many of Mr. O’Brien’s family members were educators, he decided to follow in their footsteps and pursue a career in teaching. Mr. O’Brien then attended Sonoma State University, where he eventually earned his degree in education. A little while later, he found a position as a science teacher in the Del Mar community, allowing him to do what he loves most.
Mr. O’Brien has worked at Del Mar for seven years and is known as one of the hardest-working and most passionate teachers in the RUSD community. His favorite part of the job is running lab experiments that provide real-life examples of the different subjects he teaches. Mr. O’Brien is particularly proud of designing a year-long project that is divided into seven different missions based on each topic he covers. This project is inspired by the real Europa Clipper Mission and its journey to find life on the planet Europa. Each mission corresponds to the units he teaches. For example, Step 1 of the Europa Clipper Mission involves powering the rocket and understanding the science behind each launch. For this step, Mr. O’Brien teaches a chemistry unit, where, at the end, his students apply their knowledge of chemistry to explain how it is used in the launch of a rocket into outer space. Mr. O’Brien’s favorite unit is chemistry, as it relates closely to his love for biology. He loves the quote, “Biology is just chemistry in a different lab coat.” As a teacher at Del Mar, Mr. O’Brien comes to school each day with the goal of getting more people interested in science. He carries himself each day with a positive attitude. He says that the hardest part about being a teacher is having to “wear a lot of different hats.” As an educator, he has to grade, plan lessons, meet with parents, clean up labs and activities, and provide personal advice to his students. Overall, Mr. O’Brien has a true passion for science that he brings to school each and every day, enabling him to be the best teacher he can possibly be. If you ever see Mr. O’Brien walking around campus, don’t hesitate to say hi and ask him any questions you have about the world of science!
| 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 February | Del Mar PTA will be hosting a workshop on February 6th (Tomorrow) from 6-7:30.
Calling all parents and students! Grades 6–8 are a time of self-discovery for kids—where they explore values, interests, and independence. For parents, it’s a shift from managing to consulting, but trust is the key to landing the (unpaid) role. Join us to learn actionable strategies to prevent and navigate conflicts while strengthening trust in your relationship. Let’s turn rupture into repair! Register HERE. |
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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