News from the Nest
Dacula Middle School
137 Dacula Road, Dacula, GA 30019 / 770.963.1110
December 4, 2020
Mark Your Calendar!
Students - Join in on the fun!
Final exams are scheduled for 12/9th - 12/15th.
Digital students should be logged in to Zoom, on time, and have their cameras turned on to complete their exams. :)
If a student does not complete a final exam, he/she will receive an NTI, which will negatively impact his/her grade. Please mark your calendars and plan accordingly.
Just a reminder...
GCPS Promotion Criteria
Please remember that all students are required to meet the promotion criteria established by GCPS. We encourage all parents to review the grades and promotion criteria with your child. Please contact your child’s teacher if you have any questions.
2020-2021 Free and Reduced Meals Applications
If you have not completed a New Free & Reduced Application for School Year 2020-2021 please do so now.
**** YOU CAN NOW FILL OUT A SY 2020-2021 FREE & REDUCED APPLICATION ONLINE ****
This Free and Reduced Online Application Form is for School Year 2020-2021 Is Now Available!
The online application form is available 24/7 and is a secure environment.
Parents are welcome to complete and submit an online application form at anytime.
When you submit your online form, please make sure you receive a confirmation number.
Later, you will be able to use this number to find out the status of your child’s online application.
Please note that all online applications submitted this summer will not be processed until a few weeks prior to the beginning of school. However, your child’s approved Free or Reduced eligibility status will be available the first day of school.
If you have other questions or need this information in other languages, please contact the GCPS Free and Reduced Help Line at 678-301-6307.
Do you want more information about qualifications and/or application procedures regarding free and reduced meal prices? No need to look any further because this page contains answers to common questions, statistical data and the forms necessary to apply for the current school year. Before starting on an application, take a peek at our Free and Reduced Frequently Asked Questions.
8th Graders ~ 2021-2022 High School Opportunities
School of the Arts at Central Gwinnett High School (SOTA)
Do you have a passion for the arts? Whether you're obsessed with street dance or play an instrument, love recording or illustrate graphic novels, dream of art installations or write your own music, there's a new school opening where you can pursue your artistic vision, explore your creativity, and learn from industry professionals.
Whatever your creative passion, you can explore it at SOTA - the School of the Arts at Central Gwinnett High School!
For more information you can click on the brochures below:
Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology (GSMST)
GSMST is now accepting registration applications for the 2021-2022 freshman class.
The registration deadline is January 22, 2021.
The Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology is a unique high school that focuses on advanced and challenging studies in the fields of engineering, biosciences, and emerging technologies.
Enrollment for the 9th grade class is open to all 8th grade students who are:
-residents of the Gwinnett County school district attendance zone.
-who are successfully promoted to 9th grade by the end of spring semester, 2021.
and who successfully complete an 8th grade math curriculum that is a full unit of Carnegie-eligible Accelerated Algebra I or higher.
Students in Carnegie-eligible Algebra I will need to achieve a 1st semester grade of 90% or higher – AND – earn a Milestones (EOC) score in the Distinguished category (minimum scaled score of 92) OR earn a score of 550 or higher on the math portion of the PSAT 8/9 or SAT (test must be taken no later than January 22, 2021).
Informational Meetings will be held at GSMST at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, November 17, 2020 for the Dacula Cluster
Tuesday, January 12, 2021 will be a make-up meeting date.
Extra Help Sessions for Digital Learners
Does your child need extra help for a class?
For our digital learners, morning help begins at 8:15 each day for designated subject areas.
For our Face to Face learners, help is available during ELT each day.
§ Monday - Language Arts
§ Tuesday - Math
§ Wednesday - Social Studies
§ Thursday - Science
§ Friday - Connections
Happenings at DMS
GCPS Educational Equity Procedure Public Review Fall 2020
The Gwinnett County Board of Education is committed to educating all students and to providing the resources needed to support high-quality teaching and learning for all. The district is focused on increasing student achievement, as well as improving access and increasing opportunities, through the implementation of equitable and inclusive educational and workplace policies and practices.
This work, by its very nature, cannot be done in isolation. We need the help and input of our community.
With that in mind, please feel free to provide feedback to help GCPS ensure that educational equity is provided for all.
To participate, visit the GCPS webpage: https://www.gcpsk12.org/Page/27205
Digital Learning Reminders & Resources
Attendance for Digital Learners
Whether students are digital or in–person, class attendance is greatly important for the academic success of students. Currently, a digital learning student who logs in any time during the hours of 5 a.m. and 10 p.m. during the school day receives a “DL” as their attendance code. While this process provides information as to which digital learners were online that day to access lessons and resources, it did not provide details as to which students were online during class time, benefiting from live instruction and interaction with their teachers.
As we transition into the second nine weeks of the school year, we are updating our attendance procedures for digital learners.
Teachers now have the ability to take attendance for digital learners who are online during live instruction. Digital learners who are not present during teacher-led live instruction will be marked with the code “NPD“, which stands for “Not Present Digitally.” Teacher-led live instruction is generally the first 10-20 minutes of class. Additionally, you will be contacted via automated email if your child is marked “NPD”. Students who are present during live instruction will continue to be marked present digitally with the “DL“ indication.
The new process is better-aligned to our normal attendance procedures and the expectations of in-person students. More importantly, it will help you better support your child as you can clearly see that he/she was online during class and interacting with the teacher and classmates, not just logging on to the computer at some point during the day. This information will help families as they partner with the school to maximize their child(ren)’s school experience.
Digital Students are expected to Zoom each day in each class period.
The only exception would be if that class's teacher has specifically notified the class that they are not meeting that day and/or working asynchronously.
Zoom Access
Students MUST be using their GCPS G-Suite Account when logging into a Zoom session for their classes.
This means they must be logged in through their Student Portal and see the GCPS logo in the top right corner. If they are not logged in correctly access to Zoom sessions may not work.
CLICK HERE for instructions to make sure everyone is logged in correctly.
Digital Must Dos:
Students need to be doing the following every day during digital learning for each of their classes (academic and Connections):
1) Log into each course's eClass page:
From the Activity Feed, review the Week at a Glance.
2) Go to the course's eClass Calendar for that day:
Log their daily attendance using the link provided by that teacher.
Use the teacher's Zoom link to attend that day's live session.
Complete that day's assignment.
Students MUST attend each class's daily Zoom sessions in order to get attendance credit!
Digital Learning Help:
Need student password help? Wondering what happened to the Parent or Student Portals? Need help connecting your device to your GCPS account? Have general questions regarding DLD expectations and/or DMS requirements?
Resources from our Virtual Open House, Digital Learning Schedules, Parent Guide to Digital Learning, Portal Updates, Password Resets/Activation, and MUCH MORE can be found and will be updated frequently.
Face-to-Face Learning Reminders & Resources
Any student who is a face to face learner will be counted absent if they do not attend school. Face to face learners are expected to be in attendance each day.
If your student(s) are not feeling well please remember to keep them at home.
Sick students should not be sent to school until they are symptom free to keep themselves, your family, and our school community safe.
All students and visitors must wear face masks when they are in the building.
Masks can be purchased on MyPaymentsPlus for $10 under School Fundraisers. Proceeds help raise funds for DMS.
Students returning to DMS need to bring earbuds or headphones with them.
These are also be available for purchase for only $2 at school.
Device Information for those Returning to Face-to-Face Instruction:
We HIGHLY encourage that students returning to face-to-face instruction that have access to a Chromebook, laptop, or tablet bring it with them to school to ensure greater safety and provide an added level of safety for our students since the sharing of materials is highly discouraged.
Borrow a Chromebook and/or internet hot spot for digital learning?
Dacula MS Chromebooks/Devices and hot spots MUST be returned when the student they were assigned to comes back to school.
Media Center News
Yearbook Information
Forms and Information:
Please log on to MyPaymentsPlus to complete important documents necessary for the start of school. These should be completed as soon as possible!
Please see our grade level supply lists below.
All three grade levels are listed on this document.
This list includes items students will need as we start the year digitally including optional items and novels needed for their Language Arts course.
Home of the R.E.A.L. Falcons
Going the Distance
Dacula Middle School will become a world-class school that provides a safe and nurturing environment where students acquire the knowledge, skills, behaviors, and beliefs to be successful in college and careers in a diverse society.
