MIDDLE SCHOOL

Dear DAA Middle School Families,

Ramadan Kareem!

Our first week back was very successful and it flew by!   We had the good fortune of having both a parent meeting and student assemblies led by Ross Addision, from Reverse Psychology, who gave us tips for using social media.  If you missed the presentation, feel free to check out the overview here.  He provided some great insight and small changes that can make a big impact in terms of mood, self-esteem, and even sleep!  If you are interested in learning more, or if you’d like to reach out to Mr. Addison directly, please contact Mrs. Mira Nasr at m.nasr_daa@gemsedu.com.

As we gear up for our next (and final) round of MAP testing, our teachers are working with classes and individuals to analyze data and focus students on areas of growth.  I encourage you to have your child do a little bit of academics every day, even if they don’t have homework.  A little reading or work on IXL are good, manageable ways to keep skills sharp.

Upcoming Dates

• May 1- May 04 - Eid al Fitr (TBC*expected Islamic Holiday*)

• May 10 - Parent Coffee Morning-  The Lighthouse: Resiliency is the new happiness

• May 16 - June 7 - MAP Testing

For all events, click here for the K-12 Academic Calendar.

Before spring break, DAAPA and our Islamic team did a fantastic job of decorating our hallways.  Our students got into the Ramadan spirit this week by creating door decorations - Ramadoor!  Through the contest and CREW lessons, we hope that students gain a deeper understanding of Ramadan and its importance to our school community and the world.

We have started the process of class placement and course selection for the academic year 22/23!. The deadline for submission was April 11, 2022, so if you did not have the opportunity to fill the form with your child, please reach out to your grade-level counselor if you have any questions or concerns.

Grade 6 - Christina DeMers - c.demers_daa@gemsedu.com

Grade 7 - Mira Nasr - m.nasr_daa@gemsedu.com

We hope that you have had an opportunity to explore the course selection resources and are excited about the learning opportunities available to next year’s Grade 9 students. As a reminder, the deadline for Grade 9 course selection was April 15th. Course selection resources are linked below.

Subject Selection Website

Subject Selection Instructions

Please contact Ashley Szar, Director of High School Academic Pathways, should you have general course selection questions, or Ms. JoAnn Porterfield, should you have student-specific questions.

Ashley Szar, Director of High School Academic Pathways: a.szar_daa@gemsedu.com

JoAnn Porterfield, Grade 9 Counselor: j.porterfield_daa@gemsedu.com 

Would you like to contact a middle school teacher or staff member?  Please see the list of email addresses here.

If you are still having technical troubles, please make sure to raise a ticket if the teacher is unable to help your child with a fix.  Send an email to studenthelpdesk@gemsdaa.net and they will help resolve the issue.