Happy Valentines Friday Panther families! We had another great week here at the middle school.

With weather, health, and bus cancellations I know for some school has seemed a bit inconsistent these last few weeks. If your child is unable to make it to school please make sure you are calling our attendance line at (269) 623-1540. If you have a doctor's note or other appointment notes, please make sure they are turned in to the office so the absence can be excused.

Please look out for field trip information from teachers. The information will give the date, price, and eligibility requirements for students to go. Along with that our DK PIE group is doing different fundraisers (hat day, candy grams, popcorn sales, online donations, etc.) to help alleviate the cost of these field trips. If you have any questions please reach out to your child's teacher to get more information.

As always I would like to say thank you to our students, staff, families, and community for all of your support. Our students continue to grow academically and socially because of everyone's collective efforts! Thank you and have a great three day weekend!

It's a great day to be a PANTHER!!!

Thank you,

Bobby Tillman

Principal

Delton Kellogg Middle School

6325 Delton Rd

Delton, MI 49046

(269) 623-1541

Monday, February 17th - No School for Students - Staff Development - Presidents' Day 🗽

Friday, February 21st - Popcorn Friday at Lunchtime 🍿

Saturday, February 22nd - Boys Youth Hoops "Pink Out" to support Courtney Dudley 🎀 🏀

Friday, February 28th - The End of the second trimester

Wednesday, March 5th - Kick Start Deposit Day 🏦

Thursday, March 13th - Half Day Students ( Dismissal 11:30 am) - Parent / Teacher Conferences (As Needed)

Friday, March 14th - Half Day (Dismissal 11:30 am)

Friday, March 21st - End of 9 week marking period / Popcorn Friday at Lunchtime🍿

Monday, March 24th - Wednesday, March 26th - 5th grade camp. Sherman Lake YMCA ⛺

Wednesday, March 26th - Mobile Dentist 🦷

Thursday, March 27th - Mobile Dentist 🦷

Elianna Osborne, a kindergarten student at DKES, was diagnosed with a rare neuro-genetic disorder called Angelman Syndrome (AS) at the age of 8 months old. AS is a rare disorder that affects about 1 in 20,000 births. A few symptoms of AS are seizures, non verbal, diminished need for sleep, delayed ability to walk and so much more! As of now, there is no cure for AS but with advancing science and research there is hope for a treatment and a CURE!

Cupids have wings, Angels do too, on the 14th we wear red, on the 15th we wear blue! Join us Saturday and wear blue to support Elianna and her friends with AS.

Elianna is pictured below, for more information about AS please feel free to visit www.cureangelman.org

Do you want to know how you can help? Join Team Elianna Grace and receive a shirt to help spread awareness once signed up! Visit www.angelman.org/strong/Angelman Strong – Angelman Syndrome Foundation

This week, PIE (Partners in Education) helped spread kindness and joy by selling Candy Grams during lunchtime on Tuesday and Wednesday. For just 50 cents each, students and staff had the opportunity to send sweet treats and heartfelt notes to their friends.

This morning, on Valentine’s Day, there were a total of 661 special messages and candy delivered, bringing smiles all around! It was wonderful to see so many students and staff sharing positivity and appreciation for one another.

A big thank you to PIE for organizing this fun and thoughtful event! ❤️🍬 #CandyGrams #ValentinesDay

This week’s Panther Paw Drawing winners have been selected, and we are so proud to celebrate these students who have demonstrated Safe, Kind, Respectful, and Responsible behavior in their school activities. Their commitment to SK2R values not only makes our school community stronger but also sets a fantastic example for others. Keep up the amazing work!

Last week, Mrs. Williams’ class had a sweet lesson in science as they learned about the phases of the moon using Oreo cookies! Students carefully scraped the frosting to model each phase, from the new moon to the full moon. This hands-on activity helped students visualize how the moon changes throughout the month while making learning fun (and delicious!).

In follow-up to last week’s studies on the moon phases, Mrs. Williams’ class continued their exploration of the solar system this week with an exciting hands-on project.

Each student created a 3-D model of a planet using styrofoam balls and various craft supplies.

Students also completed a presentation to the class, sharing fascinating facts about their planet and what makes it special.

This project helped students learn more about space while also practicing their speaking and art skills. The students put a lot of effort and attention to detail into making their planets and giving their presentations. What a great lesson this was, and job well done by all!

Below are some pictures of our DKMS students participating in Teen Cuisine, a hands-on nutrition and cooking program! Due to overwhelming interest, we have now held two classes, giving even more students the opportunity to build essential kitchen skills.

Teen Cuisine is a six-week program for 5th–8th grade students, where they learn about nutrition, proper knife safety, and basic cooking techniques. Each week, students choose and prepare recipes while working together to create delicious and healthy meals. In their first class, students made fresh hummus dip and practiced slicing peppers.

In addition to their cooking lessons, some students will soon take their learning beyond the kitchen with an exciting field trip to Valley Hub in Kalamazoo! This experience will give students valuable insights into the connection between local farmers and the food systems that serve our communities, including the meals at DK Schools. This trip will reinforce the lessons they’ve learned in class while expanding their understanding of where food comes from.

We are excited to see our students so engaged in Teen Cuisine and looking forward to this incredible learning opportunity! 🍽️👩‍🍳 #TeenCuisine #HealthyEating #HandsOnLearning #FarmToTable

Exciting news for our middle school! We are currently in the process of installing brand-new touch screens in every classroom, thanks to available bond technology funds. These interactive screens will enhance learning and engagement for our students.

In the picture below, you can see one of the new touch screens installed in Mr. Carlson’s classroom. Also featured in the photo are his students showing their support for Courtney Dudley. Every Friday, our 5th-grade students wear pink to support Courtney Dudley, who is currently fighting a cancer diagnosis. We are proud to see our students coming together to show kindness and encouragement! 💗 #TeamDudley #MiddleSchoolTechUpgrade

1. Who is in your family? My wife, Laurie, and our two daughters—Gabrielle (30) and Sarah (26).

2. Where is your favorite place to travel, or if you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be? One of our family traditions is to travel to South Haven, but if I could travel anywhere, I would love to go to Alaska to hunt, fish, and hike.

3. Where did you grow up, and what is a fun memory from your childhood? I grew up in Battle Creek, and some of my best memories are riding dirt bikes all day long with friends.

4. If you could have any superpower or swap places with anyone for a day, what would you choose? I would choose to have the superpower of the Invisible Man. If I could swap places with anyone for a day, I’d pick Donald Trump.

5. What is a fun fact that might surprise people? I would rather drive than fly anywhere because I enjoy the adventure.

6. Do you have a favorite go-to comfort food, treat, or drink? I enjoy having a beer with some venison salami, cheese, and crackers.

7.Do you have a favorite book, TV show, or movie? My favorite book to read is The Bible, and I enjoy watching Seinfeld sitcom reruns.

8. What inspired you to pursue a career in education? My mother said, "You should be a teacher!"

9. How long have you been a part of this school community, and what is your favorite thing about working at the middle school? I have worked here for 26 years, and my favorite thing about working here is working with my longtime partner, Amanda SanInocencio.

10. If you weren’t working in education, what would you be doing? I would probably be working in the medical field somewhere or as a C.S.I. (Crime Scene Investigator).

11. How do you motivate or inspire your students and colleagues? I pray for them and treat them with a kind heart. I also try to challenge my students through peer motivation.

12. What is something you have learned from your students that has impacted you? I have learned that nothing is ever the same when working with middle school students—every day is different! Also, a very important lesson: always wear deodorant and wash with soap daily.😉

13. Do you have a favorite or most memorable moment with students or colleagues? Attending the Washington, D.C. trip with students, Mrs. Boorsma, Mrs. Lebeck, and our families was a memorable experience.

14. What is the best part of your day at school? I have two favorite moments: getting in early and working at my desk from 6:45–7:45 a.m., and walking out at the end of the day, knowing it was a good day!

PIE is excited to announce that their fundraising website is now live! Each grade level has its own unique code , making it easy for students to participate.

Personalized Fundraising – Within each grade level, students can set up their own individual fundraiser to track their progress. This also allows whoever sets up the fundraiser to receive email updates on the total amount raised.

Maximizing Donations – Donors have the option to cover the 3% processing fee, ensuring that 100% of their donation goes directly to the student’s fundraiser. If they choose not to cover the fee, it will be deducted from the donation amount.

Every contribution helps make our field trips possible and creates unforgettable experiences for our students. Thank you for your support!

We’re excited to announce that the Mobile Dentist will be visiting our school on Wednesday, March 26, and Thursday, March 27, 2025.

If you’d like your child to see the Mobile Dentist, please complete the attached form:

• Online Option: Fill out the form online using the link provided.
• Paper Form Option: If you prefer, you can complete the paper form and return it to the middle school office.

Delton Kellogg Athletics has teamed up with ProMed in Richland to offer sports physicals for our athletes on April 16th, 2025. This physical will fulfill the requirement for the 2025-2026 school year. Athletic staff will be available to upload the physical directly to Final Forms. Please note that you and your student will still need to log into Final Forms to complete the annual sports forms after June 20th. To participate during school hours, your student MUST return this form, the completed MHSAA Sports Physical Form, and payment by April 3rd to the high school office. If these items are not submitted by the deadline, your student may participate during walk-in times after school hours with completed forms and payment in hand between 2:50 - 4:00 pm.

Please sign, complete, submit payment, and return to the office by April 3rd.

The athletic department has implemented some new tools and strategies to streamline communication and transparency throughout the department. These new programs should help streamline communication, event ticket purchases and potentially some registrations in the near future.

* Eventlink.com is where information for athletic events and facility usage can be found. Tickets and season passes can be purchased through Eventlink, and you are able to customize your experience by choosing which sports you would like communications from.

* Finalforms.com is where physicals and other important documents should go. These documents can be uploaded by your phone by taking a picture of the document.

* The Athletic Department would prefer all pay to participate payments go through this virtual portal for all Middle School and High School athletes.

Pay to Participate Fees can be paid HERE

PDF of Sports Participation Fees

* Hudl.com is where fans can subscribe to watch live streams of home events that occur at the turf stadium or the High School main gymnasium.

Click here to visit the Delton Hudl Fan Account

* You can also stay up to date with our new athletics social media accounts:

Facebook: Delton Kellogg Athletics

Instagram: DKpanthers

Twitter (X): DKpanthers

Email: tammy.whitmore@dkschools.org

Location: 6325 Delton Road, Delton, MI, USA

Phone: 269-623-1542

Email: brittany.griffith@dkschools.org

Location: 6325 Delton Road, Delton, MI, USA

Phone: 269-623-1542