News from the Nest

Dacula Middle School

137 Dacula Road, Dacula, GA 30019 / 770.963.1110

Click Here for the Dacula Middle School Website

September 10, 2021

Thank You

Thank you to everyone for your help and cooperation with our new car rider procedures!

The safety and security of the Dacula MS family is always our priority.

Reminders

Just a reminder...our first GCPS Asynchronous Learning Day will be held on this Tuesday, September 14th.

All students will be completing their assignments from home and will receive information from their teachers before they leave school on Monday, 9/13th regarding assignments for each class.

Teachers will hold a 30 minute check in session for any student(s) needing help and/or wanting to touch base on 9/14th.

Additional information and details will be posted on each teacher's eClass course page.

Meals will be delivered along all bus routes countywide during Asynchronous Digital Learning Days. Families should expect buses to run their routes from approximately 10:45 a.m. to noon, beginning at the first stops on the route.

Like meals served at school, these delivered meals are provided at no cost under a federal waiver.

Mark Your Calendars

Donations will be collected by homeroom teachers

One HR per Grade Level will win a Pizza Lunch!

8th Grade CogAT Testing:

Dear 8th Grade Parents,

On Tuesday, September 21, 2021, your child will be participating in the 2021 administration of the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) which measures students’ verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal reasoning abilities. The results of this test will help assess how well your child is performing and assist with plans to meet your child’s academic needs.

The three batteries of the test: Verbal Battery, Quantitative Battery, and Nonverbal Battery will be given in one day. Each battery consists of three subtests, and students have ten minutes to complete each of the subtests for a total of 90-minutes to complete the assessment.

Thank you for making sure your child is present and on time for test day. Our staff wants to provide your child with the best opportunity to be successful. Although no studying or preparation is necessary for this test, the following recommendations should help your child do his/her best each day:

• Get plenty of rest

• Eat a healthy breakfast

• Be at school on time

• Be prepared (glasses if needed)

Thank you very much for encouraging and supporting your student during testing. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Charisse Deramus.

Accountability & Assessment Website

Car Rider Procedures

Presently, our car rider line presents a big safety concern for our community and those traveling along Dacula Road.

Our bell rings for car rider dismissal at 3:50 pm. Parents may arrive on campus for car rider pick-up no earlier than 3:40 pm. This includes not parking in a parking space awaiting the start of car riders. Beginning Tuesday, September 7, any cars that arrive prior to 3:40 pm will be re-routed from the car rider line.

As an alternative, we ask that you park at Dacula Park until the start of our car rider line. If you choose to have your child become a walker and meet you at Dacula Park for the sake of expediency, you’ll be pleased to know that our walkers are dismissed at 3:50 pm as well.

When trying to access the car rider lane, cars should not park on Dacula Road in the Northbound lane (towards Dacula High) or the Southbound left turning lane (towards the bridge). Due to traffic safety concerns, we have been advised that this will become an offense worthy of a citation from law enforcement. Cars should join the car rider line along Auburn Road.

We are working diligently to see that we have a safe dismissal for our students while also maintaining safe roads you, the community, and our emergency vehicles. Thank you for your cooperation. We appreciate your attention to this matter.

Please click here for our car rider procedures located on our website.

Reminders

Additional Information Regarding Masks in GCPS:

In late July, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), updated its guidance for schools, recommending that children, teachers, and others in K-12 schools across the nation wear masks this school year, regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status. This recommendation is in line with those of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Based on this guidance and for the safety of our students, staff, and visitors, Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) requires the wearing of masks or cloth face coverings in our schools and facilities and on school buses, regardless of vaccination status.

The CDC indicates correct and consistent mask use is a critical step everyone can take to prevent getting and spreading COVID-19. Masks work best when everyone wears them, but not all masks provide the same protection.

With that in mind, Gwinnett County Public Schools requires masks to:

Fully cover the nose and mouth and secure under the chin.
Fit securely against both sides of the face.
Masks that have an exhalation valve or vent and masks made from mesh fabrics are not recommended by the CDC as they allow virus particles to escape and spread. As a result, these types of masks do not meet GCPS’ mask requirement.

Gwinnett County Public Schools is using the most recent CDC guidance and information about transmission and case rates within our community as part of its decision-making process regarding mitigation efforts. The district will continue to monitor current conditions and updates to guidance, using this information to make changes to its mask requirement and other mitigation strategies during the 2021–22 school year as needed.