It was a perfect morning for another Roll into School event organized by Brandon Dale, our Communities in Schools SSC! 25 students and several parents started their day with a bike ride from the Damascus Town Park to DMS. A special thanks goes to Adventure Damascus who provided bikes, helmets, and support and the town of Damascus employees who kept everyone safe!
When School Board Member Debbie Anderson stopped by during Teacher Appreciation Week, she asked to speak with Mrs. Renee Foster's Reading 6 students before they took their SOL test. As Mrs. Foster took her turn to encourage her students, she shared that Mrs. Anderson was her first grade teacher, the teacher who taught her to read. It truly was a full-circle moment, a powerful reminder of the impact teachers have on future generations. #TBT #teacherappreciation
Band-aids ✅, ice pack ✅, change of clothes ✅, snack ✅, dry sense of humor ✅✅, big heart ✅✅✅... Nurse Michelle Stiltner has it all!
We appreciate our wonderful cafeteria ladies! Thank you for making sure we are fueled up for success each day!
Happy belated Principal's Day to one of the best! Thank you, Mr. Matlock, for your heart for our students, faculty, and staff!💖🖤
"Mary Had a Little Lamb" 🎵: Students in Mrs. Mary Rhudy's Agriscience class enjoyed their special guest, a sweet bottle-fed lamb, that "followed her to school one day."
Exciting things ahead! Mr. Dale, Communities in Schools Student Support Coordinator, is offering two wonderful opportunities! Come to school every day you have an SOL test and you will be entered to win a new pair of shoes! You can also join him as he rolls into school on Friday, May 9.
Seventh-Grade Storytelling with Sphero: Students in Mrs. Blackburn's English classes used block code to program Sphero Bolt robots in order to review characterization and plot elements.
After learning about fossils, students in Mrs. Caywood's seventh-grade science class used dinosaurs and modeling clay to create each type of fossil.
Today is Administrative Professionals Day, and we are so blessed to have Ms. Dana Lethcoe and Mrs. Erika Trent! We appreciate the work they do every day!
Thank you to our amazing bus drivers! We appreciate you!
The Sixth Grade Mental Math Bee was held on April 17. The following students represented their homerooms: Nolan M., Peyton D., Emmitt L., Tyler B., Brooklyn C., Noah T., Bentley T., Maddie F., and Harley H. The grade level winner was Bentley T. Math teacher Melissa Childress provides this wonderful opportunity each year for her students to showcase their knowledge!
On Monday, April 14, DMS was thrilled to welcome an attorney for our continuing
Career Café series. Students were surveyed at the beginning of the year about careers
they would like to see in the series, and lawyer was one of the most requested careers.
Our guest is an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney in Virginia. She spoke with our
students about the journey toward becoming a lawyer, including the educational
requirements and the helpful aspects of their current education if a career in the law
was their goal. She also enlightened students to the wide variety of practice areas within
the legal field. Students came away more informed about their options past high school
for sure.
Battle of the Beaks Activity To Demonstrate Natural Selection🦅: Science 7 students in Mrs. Caywood's classes tested which genetic variation in bird beaks provided the best adaptation for feeding.
Students in Mrs. Caywood's Science 7 classes modeled the phases of the cell cycle using Oreos and sprinkles.
The baseball game scheduled for today against Glade Spring Middle School has been cancelled.
On April 1, DMS was excited to welcome another presenter for the Career Café
series. A marine biologist came to speak with students about the interesting and
broad field of marine biology. She shared her experiences working in remote and
beautiful parts of Alaska with salmon and shared the importance of marine
research for both the environment and the human population as well. She also
spoke about the wide variety of careers within the field of marine biology and
shared stories about different industries that employ marine biologists. Students
were able to experience the rugged beauty of her work site through many amazing
photographs that she brought to share as well.
The track meet scheduled for today at Patrick Henry has been cancelled. The next meet will be at Virginia High School this Thursday. The team will practice today until 4:30 and will not be lifting after practice this week.
Thank you, Mrs. Necessary, for all you do at DMS!
Summer Enrichment Experience at Virginia Tech
The deadline to apply for SEE VT has been extended to April 15, and all fees have been waived, meaning this incredible opportunity is now free for all campers! SEE VT is a residential camp for rising 6th and 7th grade gifted students from rural communities. At SEE VT, rural middle school students will have access to place-based and rural-focused academic enrichment to include STEM and humanities courses, social activities, exploration of campus life, field trips, and more!
Camp will be held on Virginia Tech's Blacksburg campus June 15-20, 2025. Applications are due by April 15.
Please see the below flyer for more information.
