Dickerson Middle School PTSA E-News Blast

March 1, 2010

Important Dates at DMS

MARCH 2- Spring Picture Day

MARCH 2- 7th and 8th Grade Orchestra Concerts, 6:30pm

MARCH 10- Early Release, 2:15pm

MARCH 13- Electronics Recycling, 9:00am-3:00pm

MARCH 18- Report Cards

DMS PTSA General Meeting

DMS PTSA General Meeting will be on Wednesday, March 24th at 7pm at the school auditorium. Elections for PTSA officers for the school year of 2010-2011 will be held. Please also note that there will be a budget amendment for appropriations at this meeting.

Electronics Collection for Recycling

HEROES is sponsoring an electronics collection for recycling on Saturday, March 13th from 9a.m. to 3 p.m. in the school parking lot. Computer hardware (printers, monitors, keyboards) in addition to a large variety of medium to small size electronics will be collected. Look for more info on specific acceptable items soon. Parents, if you have any high school students looking for community service hours, this is a perfect opportunity for them. To volunteer, please contact Kathy Minter kminter@coneyandminter.com

Girl Talk Program for 7th and 8th Grade Girls at Dickerson

Dickerson is starting a Girl Talk program for 7th and 8th grade girls. Girl Talk is a national program which is delivered through peer-to-peer mentoring that offers meetings, community service projects, and friendship building activities for middle school girls. Girl Talk is led by Walton High School girls and will follow a curriculum to help girls build self esteem and develop leadership skills. Meetings will be held at Dickerson from 4:20-5:20 on March 8th, March 22, April 12, April 19 and April 26. Students must be promptly picked up at 5:20. This program will be sponsored by 7th Grade Counselor, Sally Millard and 8th Grade Counselor, Candace Pearce, along with our School Social Worker, Michelle Tuttle.You may contact your child’s counselor at 770-578-2713 or email them to obtain a permission slip for participation.  There will be a limited number of participants so Girl Talk will be offered on a first come first serve basis.

Locks of Love

Dickerson students and staff will be participating in Locks of Love again this year on Friday, March 19th. Locks of Love is an organization that takes donated hair and makes free wigs for kids that have terminal diseases that cause them to lose their hair. See their website for more info: www.locksoflove.org Students will need to complete permission forms to be able to participate in this event. Participants will be getting 9 or more inches of their hair cut off. We have local salons come to perform the haircuts and they usually give the participants a coupon.

Walton Junior Raider Cheerleading

Mandatory Cheerleading Meeting

For Parents AND Rising 7th & 8th Grade Girls Interested in Tryouts

2010-2011 School Year

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

6:30 p.m.

Walton High School

(Commons/Cafeteria)

Please come and join us for this informative meeting. Learn more about the fun and rewarding Junior Raider Cheerleading Program.

Dickerson Middle School PTSA E- News Blast

February 23, 2010

Important Dates at DMS

FEBRUARY 23- PTA Day at the Capitol

FEBRUARY 24- HEROES Essays Due

MARCH 2- Spring Picture Day

MARCH 10- Early Release, 2:15pm

DMS PTSA General Meeting

DMS PTSA General Meeting will be on Wednesday, March 24th at 7pm at the school auditorium. Elections for PTSA officers for the school year of 2010-2011 will be held. Please also note that there will be a budget amendment for appropriations at this meeting.

Girl Talk Program for 7th and 8th Grade Girls at Dickerson

Dickerson is starting a Girl Talk program for 7th and 8th grade girls. Girl Talk is a national program which is delivered through peer-to-peer mentoring that offers meetings, community service projects, and friendship building activities for middle school girls. Girl Talk is led by Walton High School girls and will follow a curriculum to help girls build self esteem and develop leadership skills. Meetings will be held at Dickerson from 4:20-5:20 on March 8th, March 22, April 12, April 19 and April 26. Students must be promptly picked up at 5:20. This program will be sponsored by 7th Grade Counselor, Sally Millard and 8th Grade Counselor, Candace Pearce, along with our School Social Worker, Michelle Tuttle.You may contact your child’s counselor at 770-578-2713 or email them to obtain a permission slip for participation.  There will be a limited number of participants so Girl Talk will be offered on a first come first serve basis.

Important Band Dates

The Symphonic Band has been working all year to prepare for the National Concert Band Festival in March, and the Percussion Ensemble has been working for the National Percussion Festival.  These two groups will be among the best bands and Percussion Ensembles from across the country participating in this amazing event!

For those who cannot make the trip to Indianapolis, Dickerson, Durham and Hightower Trail will be presenting a National Concert Band Festival Preview Concert on Tuesday, February 23rd.  The NCBF Preview Concert should be a celebration for Cobb County.  Three of the seven Middle School bands selected for the National Concert Band Festival are from Cobb and they will be presenting their programs in the beautiful new Bailey Performance Center at KSU!

Tuesday, Feb 23rd - 7:00 pm - NCBF Preview Concert at Kennesaw St.

University, Bailey Center for the Performing Arts, Kennesaw State University

March 3 - 6:30 pm - Percussion Ensemble Preview Concert for National Percussion Festival (pack truck after) March 4 - 7 - National Concert Band Festival and National Percussion Festival in Indianapolis

While these trips may be foremost in our minds right now, we have also just received our dates for band performance evaluation (LGPE) in March.

We will have almost 200 7th and 8th grade students participating in these events, which are the closest evaluations we have to standardized testing. 

March 17th - 7:00 pm - Symphonic Band LGPE Performance at McEachern HS March 23rd - 7:05 pm - 7/8 Concert Band LGPE Performance at Kell High School March 25th - 4:55 pm - 7th Grade Symphonic Band LGPE Performance at Kell HS.

We are looking forward to some great concerts in March, and know our Symphonic Band and Percussion Ensembles will represent Dickerson well at the National Concert Band Festival and the National Percussion Festival!

18th Annual Walton Band Garage Sale 250+ families

Saturday, March 27, 2010 from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

All proceeds benefit the Walton Band program.  Walton High School – 1590 Bill Murdock Road, Marietta.

 Please visit www.dickersonptsa.org for more PTSA and DMS information.

Dickerson Middle School PTSA E-News Blast

February 17, 2010

Important Dates at DMS

FEBRUARY 17- March Tribune articles due.

FEBRUARY 18 - Page for a Day at the State Capitol

FEBRUARY 19- 8th Grade Career Day

FEBRUARY 23- PTA Day at the Capitol

8th Grade Career Day

We have lined up a great group of parent and community professionals to speak to our students during the 8th Grade Career Day on Friday, February 19.  We are looking for volunteers to help on the 19th and to help with food.  Please contact Lane Holt (laneholt@yahoo.com) if interested.

"The Rules have changed: Making Healthy Choices about Sex"

All parents, please join us on Feb. 19th at 11:15-12:15 in Dickerson’s Theater for, "The Rules have changed: Making Healthy Choices about Sex".  This is sponsored by the PTSA and DMS Counseling Department.  It is presented by the Cobb County Commission on Children and Youth.   The presentation will help parents understand your child’s pressures and risks as well as discover 10 steps that parents can take to encourage your child to make healthy choices. A free parenting book will be offered to the first 50 families.  Additional parking will be available at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church.

WHO IS YOUR HERO????? Heroes Essay Contest

The PTSA is challenging students to honor a “real life” hero with a picture and an essay.

The instructions were distributed through Language Arts classes at the beginning in February and are now due to Language Arts teachers February 24.

Important Band Dates

The Symphonic Band has been working all year to prepare for the National Concert Band Festival in March, and the Percussion Ensemble has been working for the National Percussion Festival.  These two groups will be among the best bands and Percussion Ensembles from across the country participating in this amazing event!

For those who cannot make the trip to Indianapolis, Dickerson, Durham and Hightower Trail will be presenting a National Concert Band Festival Preview Concert on Tuesday, February 23rd.  The NCBF Preview Concert should be a celebration for Cobb County.  Three of the seven Middle School bands selected for the National Concert Band Festival are from Cobb and they will be presenting their programs in the beautiful new Bailey Performance Center at KSU!

Tuesday, Feb 23rd - 7:00 pm - NCBF Preview Concert at Kennesaw St.

University, Bailey Center for the Performing Arts, Kennesaw State University

March 3 - 6:30 pm - Percussion Ensemble Preview Concert for National Percussion Festival (pack truck after) March 4 - 7 - National Concert Band Festival and National Percussion Festival in Indianapolis

While these trips may be foremost in our minds right now, we have also just received our dates for band performance evaluation (LGPE) in March.

We will have almost 200 7th and 8th grade students participating in these events, which are the closest evaluations we have to standardized testing. 

March 17th - 7:00 pm - Symphonic Band LGPE Performance at McEachern HS March 23rd - 7:05 pm - 7/8 Concert Band LGPE Performance at Kell High School March 25th - 4:55 pm - 7th Grade Symphonic Band LGPE Performance at Kell HS.

We are looking forward to some great concerts in March, and know our Symphonic Band and Percussion Ensembles will represent Dickerson well at the National Concert Band Festival and the National Percussion Festival!

“Ignorance is No Defense” books Are Still Available

 J. Tom Morgan, a former District Attorney of Dekalb County, is a nationally recognized expert on the prosecution of crimes against children and has written this authoritative guide to over 100 laws in Georgia impacting teenagers!  It is an eye-opening, informational book that everyone should read!       

If you are interested in purchasing J. Tom Morgan’s "Ignorance is No Defense" book, there are still some for sale!  Simply fill out the order form below, attach cash or check and return it with your student to their homeroom teacher.  DOWNLOAD FORM

18th Annual Walton Band Garage Sale 250+ families

Saturday, March 27, 2010 from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

All proceeds benefit the Walton Band program.  Walton High School – 1590 Bill Murdock Road, Marietta. CLICK HERE for more details

Georgia PTA’s weekly update on legislative activity – Feb. 10, 2010

CLICK HERE-Quick Link to GA Legislative Updates

 Please visit www.dickersonptsa.org for more DMS and PTSA information.