The Dana Weekly

September 22, 2025

⭐Highlights Ahead

Make-up Picture Day is happening this Tuesday
ASB's September Fun Friday is this week!
The Can You Help Food Drive is coming up, Sept 29-Oct 3. This is a good week start saving your donations!

PTSA Afterschool Movie - Friday!

PTSA Program Event on Friday, Sep 26 - We're hosting an after school movie event plus free dance lesson for the showing KPop Demon Hunters. We're looking for parent volunteers to assist with the food. I have also included Hayden's flyer to be attached.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0C45A9AE23A7F85-58780374-dana

PTA Reflections Contest

The PTA Reflections arts contest is back! This year’s theme is “I Belong” — Explore the Arts and Express Yourself. Students are invited to share their creativity through dance, film, literature, music, photography, and visual arts. Every student has a unique story to tell, and Reflections is a wonderful way to celebrate imagination and self-expression. Families can support by encouraging entries and joining us in celebrating our students’ artistic voices. . Reflections Deadline on Friday, October 17 by 11:59pm -

Reflections Chair Still Needed

We are still need of a PTSA Reflections Chair this year. Please consider helping us make our Reflections Contest happen. Email our President Heidi Wong if interested: president@danaptsa.com

Shelter Donations

Students in Room 20 and collecting donations for hygiene kits that they plan on donating to the Union Rescue Mission.

Travel-size of the following items is appreciated:

Bottles of Hand Soap
Deodorant Gel Packs
Disinfecting Wipes
Face Shields
Gloves
Hand Sanitizer*
Masks (Prefer N95/KN95)
Small Bottles of Body Wash*
Small Shampoo Packs
Soap Bars
Toothbrushes*
Toothpaste*

Please drop off donations in the front office. Thank you!

Mrs. Tarsala Recommends...

Arcadia Public Library is celebrating Library Card Sign-up Month. Anyone who lives in California can get an Arcadia library card for free. Please stop by the library at 20 West Duarte Road with your middle school student to find out about all the great things the library offers. This month they will replace library cards for free and forgive library fines. The library also offers fun drop-in events for the middle school crowd after school. Students can participate in the library’s Middle School Advisory Group, In-N-Out reading program (through age 11), or summer volunteering (for ages 13+),

Sign up for the Arcadia Public Library Middle School Matters email newsletter to keep on top of book and library news for 6th-8th graders. Library cards aren’t just for little kids!

Make-up Picture Day

Make-up Picture Day is scheduled for Tuesday, September 23rd. Students who were absent on the original picture day, or who wish to have their photo retaken, will have the opportunity to do so at this time.

8th Grade Pali

8th grade parents! Planning for our 8th grade trip is underway. We will be going to Leadership camp at Pali Institute, Wednesday - Friday. 11/12 - 11/14.

The cost is $595, payable in the school office or on the Dana webstore. Please make checks to: Dana Middle School. There is a convenience fee for paying in the webstore. All accounts must be paid in full by September 16.

If you have any questions, you can check out Pali's website or email Mrs Hamblen at ehamblen@ausd.net.

OSS Parent Informational Newsletter (English).pdf

6th Grade OSS

6th Grade Outdoor Science School (OSS0) trip is a few months away, but will be here before you know it. Be sure to check out this OSS presentation for all the details.

Chinese

Spanish

⏱️60 Second Spotlight

Luna Falconi- 6th

What are your Friday "day off" plans?

I have ballet and I may go shopping with my mom

Who is your favorite superhero?

I like Wonder Woman

Do you have any pets?

We have two dogs - Bailey and Bella

Melanie Tsai - 6th

What are your Friday "day off" plans?

Mostly I'll just relax

Who is your favorite superhero?

No, I don't really ever watch them

Do you have any pets?

No, but if I had one I'd have an Husky.

Jayden Chang-8th

What are your Friday "day off" plans?

I'm going to go deep sea fishing with for my birthday

Who is your favorite superhero?

Spiderman

Do you have any pets?

We have two dogs: Ellie and Maggie

New Attendance Steps

We are transitioning to a new attendance system this year across AUSD, and will no longer be using the Absence Verification Form.

Beginning this year, whenever your student is absent, you will receive an email after 5:00 p.m. containing two links:

Link 1: Report the reason for the absence

Link 2: Upload completed assignment to receive attendance credit

For multiple-day absences, a separate assignment must be submitted for each day. For example, if your student is absent on both Monday and Tuesday, you will need to submit one assignment through Monday’s email and another through Tuesday’s email.

Please note that attendance credit and class credit are separate requirements.

Students must submit an assignment through the attendance link for attendance purposes, and also turn in any required classwork directly to their teacher for academic credit.

For extended vacations, early releases, or late arrivals, please continue to notify Annie Chang at anniechang@ausd.net. Attendance credit for these absences will only be applied if ARP (Attendance Recovery Program) was selected in the ANTP.

Thank you for your support as we implement this new system.

Dana ASB Spirit Calendar

Dana Mariner Calender First Semester 2025 (1).pdf

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🏠Dana House Points

Dana has 6 Houses, all of which compete for team spirit and competition points each semester for our House Trophy and prizes. Each House has 6th-8th grade team members which are based on a student's Advisory teacher. Houses gather together throughout the year.

Rams

20 pts

Eagles

25 pts

Dolphins

25 pts

Bulls

30 pts

Lions

15 pts

Wolves

35 pts

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