Important Upcoming Dates
Tue, Sep 12 - Resiliency Day and College Colors Day
Wed, Sep 13 - Soccer at Odyssey (Away)
Thu, Sep 14 - SAC Meeting - 4:30 pm
Mon, Sep 18 - Soccer vs Legacy (Home)
Wed, Sep 20 - Soccer vs Avalon (Home)
Thu, Sep 21 - Open House - 6:00 pm - 7:45 pm
Thu, Sep 21 - Progress Reports go home
Mon, Sep 25 - Soccer at Corner Lake (Away)
Wed, Sep 27 - Soccer vs Timber Springs (Home)
Notes from the Flight Deck
Things are in full swing at Discovery! Our soccer season has officially begun, and both of our teams were victorious in their opening matches. Check the upcoming dates section for the season schedule and come out and cheer on the Explorers!
We had an amazing turnout at our Skate Night this past Friday and your support helped us raise over $600! Thank you Discovery PTSA for organizing this event and all of the other things you do for our students and school. Joining PTSA helps our school, and there is additional information below in this newsletter on how to join.
If you do not yet follow us on social media, please consider doing so. We post regularly to keep you updated on what is occurring each day at our school. From awesome science lessons to sports updates to lunch bingo, you'll see it all through our social media channels. Direct links to each social media outlet we use can be found at the bottom of this newsbrief.
Should you ever have questions, please reach out and I will be happy to help.
Jeff Aldridge
jeffrey.aldridge@ocps.net
Open House
Our Open House event will be on Thursday, September 21 from 6:00 pm - 7:45 pm. Families will follow their student's schedule and will visit each class period for approximately 10 minutes each. This is an opportunity to see what your child has been learning and hear from all of your child's teachers.
Resiliency Day - September 12
Tuesday, September 12th is the first of two Resiliency Days when we will be following an adjusted bell schedule with an extended 6th period.
All OCPS students in grades 6-12 will complete a 30-minute self-paced Canvas lesson. Topics include overcoming challenges, mental wellness, and how to find support on campus. This lesson satisfies 30 minutes of the Florida Department of Education’s five hours of mandatory resiliency instruction.
You will be able to access all student materials through the Canvas app in the OCPS Parent Portal, and more information is available on the Mental Health Services Parent Resources website.
We ask that students and staff to wear their favorite college shirt or colors as well.
Teacher and Support Person of the Year
We would like to congratulate Mrs. Sanchez and Ms. Cooke for being selected by their colleagues to represent Discovery as our Teacher of the Year and Support Person of the Year.
Mrs. Sanchez teachers our Students with Autism and Ms. Cooke is our 8th grade dean. Both are so deserving of this honor! Congratulations!
Please join PTSA!
Parent Teacher Student Associations (PTSAs) provide youth members with the opportunity to make a difference by developing leadership skills, learning about the legislative process, increasing their self-esteem, and contributing to the school and community. In turn, adult PTSA members gain a new perspective for program development and youth leadership development and acquire a better understanding of the youth of today.
Joining PTSA does not mean you need to volunteer your time, but certainly, if you have time, we would love to have you volunteer. Joining PTSA is giving you and your student a voice and the ability to participate and help with student and teacher initiatives throughout the 2023-2024 school year. We would love for everyone to become a member and be an advocate for our students.
Discovery PTSA is open to Parents, Teachers, STUDENTS, Family Members, Community Members, and anyone who wants to be an advocate for students. You must purchase a new membership each school year. Sign up for DMS PTSA for $6 here: https://discoverymiddleptsa.memberhub.com/store
PTSA can be reached at DiscoveryMiddlePTSA@gmail.com.
Skyward
Skyward is the Student Information System used by OCPS. Parents can access Skyward to check grades, daily attendance, and test scores such as FSA. Parents must register for a Skyward account using a cell phone number or email (these numbers/email addresses must also match what our school has on file in the system). Each parent can register for their own account and setup is only required once. Instructions for registering can be found at parents.classlink.com/ocps.
Annual Online Parent Forms
The Skyward Family Access Portal has an Online Forms tab when accessed from a desktop or laptop. Online Forms that parents and guardians need to complete can be found in the Online Forms tab. Online Forms can also be located from the Wall in Skyward Family Access. Parents and guardians will be able to complete and submit the Parent Consent Form and Device Refusal Form from the Online Forms Tab or the Wall.
Parent Consent Form (PCF)—REQUIRED
• Important legislative changes make completion of this form online by parents/guardians imperative.
• The PCF provides parents/legal guardians with the right to make important decisions involving how their child can use available technology resources, how the district uses available media of their child, what personally identifiable information is released about their child, and whether students will participant in school clinic services, health screenings, and mental health services.
• This form MUST be completed by each parent/guardian to access clinic services, health
screenings, and other student services.
o A parent must elect to opt in to each individual service.
o For example, if the Skyward Parent Consent Form were not completed to supply consent for the school’s clinic services, and your child needs to visit the school clinic, then the school clinic will be unable to treat your child and the parent/guardian will be contacted, except in the case of an emergency. In the case of an emergency, the parent/guardian and appropriate emergency personnel will be contacted.
Parents/guardians must complete the PCF as soon as possible, but no later than ten days after the start of the school year and/or entry.
Device Refusal Form—OPTIONAL
• Should be used by any parent/guardian who does not want to accept a district laptop or tablet for their student.
• In this form, parents will certify that they refuse a district device and indicate whether they prefer to register for the BYOD option where students bring a personally owned device from home or if they prefer traditional curriculum.
• These two options have always existed for families.
Below is the screen showing the location of the online forms in Skyward.
Cell Phones/Wireless Earbuds
On Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023 the school board approved the 2023-2024 Code of Student Conduct, which included changes to the district cell phone use policy for students (see page 30). The updates were made as a result of the feedback received from educators, parents, and the OCPS Discipline Task Force. The changes reflect the input and complies with new state legislation (HB 379), which took effect July 1. While statutes do not allow the use of a communication device during the instructional day, OCPS policy allows for students to possess a cell phone while on campus as long as it is silent and in a backpack or purse. Exceptions will be made for students with an IEP/504 or other reasons related to health or personal welfare which must be approved by school administration. In addition, the rule applies to watches, ear buds and other such devices.
At no time shall OCPS be responsible for theft, loss or damage to cell phones or other electronic devices brought onto its property.
Student Devices
All students at Discovery Middle are issued a laptop for use at school and home*. This year, students will receive brand new devices and will keep the same device for the duration of their enrollment at our school. Students are responsible for their device and must take care not to damage it. Should a non-warranty repair be needed, OCPS will use the following fee structure and the student/parent/guardian will be the responsible party:
1st Incident - $25
2nd Incident - $50
3rd (and forward incident) - *Depreciated value - see fees below
*Years from Purchase Replacement Cost:
Year 1 - $550
Year 2 - $400
Year 3 - $250
Year 4 - $100
Device checkout will occur during the first three days of school.
*Students have the option of choosing to bring their own device to school daily rather than receiving an OCPS device. If you choose this option, you must complete the Device Refusal Form on Skyward and make sure your student's device meets the appropriate specifications.
