Oct. 10th Dana Update

Oct. 10th Dana Update
Posted on 10/10/2021

Mrs. Field’s Cookie Dough Fundraiser for Dana ASB

Help us fund exciting student activities at lunch! The Dana ASB is conducting a Mrs. Field’s Cookie Dough Fundraiser. Proceeds to our Dana ASB and are used for spirit days, dances, field day, and other fun activities. You can even order online!

Cookie Dough order forms will be sent home on Wednesday, October 13th. Ask your child for the form and purchase cookie dough for your friends and family. Orders are due Wednesday, October 27th. Orders will arrive in time for the holidays. More information to come!

Thank you for helping to make Dana a dynamite school!

How To Read Your Child’s Progress Report - Understanding Grades

The Dana Middle Staff is progressing towards the implementation of standards-based grading. Expect one or more of the following shifts to appear in PowerSchool.

Concept

Traditional Model

Standards-based Model

Academic Grade

What was considered acceptable was subjective and varied. Some families only accept an “A” grade from their children.

Students are expected to meet grade level standards. This is represented by a 3/B. 


A 4/A (Exceeds Standards) should be considered as exceptional and rarely obtained. Expecting children to obtain 4’s on a regular basis is unrealistic.

Grading Intervals

A = 100-90

B = 89-80

C= 79-70

D = 69-60

F = 59-0


60% of the range is associated with failure.

A/4 = Exceeds Standards

B/3 = Meets Standards

C/2 = Approaching Standards

D/1 = Below Standards

F/0 = Not Enough Evidence


Equal intervals for all categories.

Percentages

Students are measured on a 100 point scale. Electronic gradebooks were used to calculate this level of granularity.

Traditional 100 point increments do not apply to this measurement system. Parents should ignore legacy percentages in PowerSchool and focus on individual assignment scores.

Late work

Late work results in a lower academic grade

Late work results in a lower citizenship grade. The academic grade is used to measure student knowledge of standards.

 

The transition to a Standards-based grading system is a multi-year process. The Dana staff is in the middle of this transition. Expect to see one or more elements in your child’s progress report. Thank you for demonstrating flexibility during this important transition. Click this link to learn more about our work and the impact it will have on how we report student progress towards meeting grade level standards and expectations.

Watch The October Dana Mariner Student Broadcast

Hello Dana Family. Here is a link to the Dana Mariner Broadcast for October.  This student generated video is 11 minutes long and covers the following information:

  • School News
  • ASB Minute
  • ASB Twin Day Recap
  • Word of the Month: Organization

  • Life Skill of the Month: How to Get Organized

  • Principal’s Message

    Fun Questions for Dana Students
  • Being back in school appreciation
  • Journalism Broadcast Advertisement

Word Of The Month - Organization

The word of the month for October is Organization. Please take a moment to watch a three minute segment of the Dana Mariner Broadcast (6:00 - 9:30) and talk with your children about strategies for staying organized in class and at home. Thank you for supporting the socio-emotional development of our students.

Homework Club Update!

Homework Club will meet after-school in the library on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday for one hour. Students can receive homework help from Dana teachers. Families must fill out an interest form BEFORE their child attends. Click this link for more information. Homework Club starts on October 11th. 

We would like to thank the Friends of Dana and Correia Middle Schools for making this resource available to Dana students.

Progress Reports Distributed Oct. 15

1st Grading Period Ends October 8th. Progress Reports will be available to parents via the Parent Portal on October 15th. Learn how to log into PowerSchool Parent Portal.

What is the difference between a progress report and a report card? Progress reports represent progress completed since the start of the class. Progress report grades are not recorded in a child’s academic history. Report card grades represent a final grade for the course. Click here to learn more.

How do I interpret a citizenship grade? Citizenship grades represent non-academic performance in class. Dana uses a 4 point citizenship grade rubric. Click here to view our citizenship rubric.

Federal Survey Cards and LCFF Forms Distributed Oct. 8th

Parents are receiving multiple forms to fill out this week. Please check your child’s backpack today.

  • Federal Survey Cards were distributed to students through their Language Arts class on Friday, October 8th. It used to be a green or yellow card but is now a white piece of paper. Ask your child for this form. Fill it out, and return it to their Language Arts teacher. Cards are due back by Wednesday, October 13th. Click this letter to learn more about why filling out this form is important.

  • LCFF Forms were distributed through Language Arts class on Thursday, October 7th and Friday October 8th. This form is a bubble fill-in sheet with three questions. This should be returned ASAP. IMPORTANT: a few children will not have a form because their parents filled it out online via PowerSchool.

Our school receives additional funding for every card that is returned. Click here to learn more.

Tuesday, Oct. 12th - Backwards Day

Wear your clothes backwards to school for the whole day. The lunchtime activity will be a three legged race. So join ASB on the field for some backwards day fun!

Please Complete Back To School Packet ONLINE

Please complete the online Back To School Packet ASAP! Every year families are asked to complete a Back To School packet and return it to school via their child’s teacher. This year we have made it easier for families by creating a digital version of this packet.

The following documents are traditionally included in this packet:

  • K-12 Enrollment Card

  • Universal Form

  • Health Info Exchange Form

We have added the School Counseling Consent Form - used to allow our counselors to speak with your child in the event they have questions.

Parents will complete the entire process online. Simply download and complete the K-12 enrollment form, login to our website, fill out a few questions, and upload the forms. 

IMPORTANT: Families who are NEW to Dana Middle and used our online system to enroll their student DO NOT need to complete the Back To School packet. You already completed these steps during the enrollment process!

Pay close attention to what group your student belongs to. The link below will ask you to determine if your student finished their 5th grade school year at Dana Middle last year (GROUP #1 - Returning Students) OR attended and ended their 4th grade school year at one of the elementary schools in the Point Loma Cluster (GROUP #2 - Incoming 5th Grade Students who attended PL Cluster Elementary School)

Follow this link to submit your Back To School Packet Today!

EvOLvE Dance Club

Join Dance To EvOLvE at the Dana after school dance club where you get to ‘Dance! Design! Direct!‘. 

Classes are every Thursday after school, 12:25-2:25, in the MPR for all students! Do it all in this unique student-directed class that goes beyond traditional dance classes where students are able to make the choices. The EvOLvE class combines dance instruction with creative freedom allowing the dancers to be the decision makers by exploring choreography, music selection, show management, and art and costume design for their end-of-session performance.  

Students love this class as it allows peer interaction and truly lets their imagination shine, and parents love this positive and high-energy class because it builds confidence, teamwork and communication skills while also developing dance skills. 

So register today, to get dancing, designing, and directing! LINK TO REGISTER.

Friends of Dana and Correia Middle Schools Meeting Oct. 12th

Friends of Dana & Correia Middle Schools holds monthly meetings on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 6:00pm.  The next meeting is on October 12, 2021 and will be held at the Correia library.  If you are unable to physically attend, use this zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84495533776?pwd=OTI1bUN6UlRRV0RqcHRNbG5BaExLQT09

If you are not receiving the newsletter but would like to, please email [email protected] and request to be added to the email list.

Parent-Teacher Conferences Oct. 20th -22nd.

Dana Middle will conduct parent/teacher conferences on Wednesday, October 20th. through Friday, October 22nd. We will follow a minimum day schedule during these days. School will end at 12:15 PM. School staff will reach out to families regarding our meeting schedule. Families requesting a conversation should communicate directly with the teacher. All parents are welcome to communicate with teachers but please understand we have placed a priority on meeting with families of children experiencing academic difficulties.


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