DHMS Wednesday Folder
9.30.26
Good Evening DHMS Families,
I hope everyone is enjoying their week! Tomorrow, Thursday, October, 2026, is an early dismissal for SOME students at 1:30 PM. Students must check in for attendance purposes and must complete asynchronous work. The subject area of focus is: SCIENCE. Students in special programs have a regular 3:10 PM dismissal. For your convenience, I am attaching a Family Friendly Early Dismissal Schedule. Please reach out with any questions or concerns.
Drop Off and Pick Up Reminders
As a reminder, our front bus loop is only for school buses and school vans. All car riders must be picked up out back (in the parking lot) or at another location. Please leave the front loop open for school buses. Thank you for your understanding.
Attendance Message
Equipping families with strategies to support children experiencing anxiety and barriers to regular school attendance. On October 19, 2026, Dr. Katherine Dahlsgaard will be speaking to our families concerning supporting children who are experiencing anxiety and school avoidance behaviors. The event is taking place at Beverly Hill Middle School. We will have dinner for our families starting at 5:30 PM. Dr. Dahlsgaard’s presentation will begin at 6:30 PM. If you know someone who is struggling in these areas, you will definitely learn strategies that will help. This event is open to all Upper Darby School District families. If you would like to learn more about our speaker, please visit https://www.katherinedahlsgaard.com/about.
DHMS Home and School
Our October Home and School Meeting will be on Tuesday, October 6, 2026 at 7:00 PM in the Library. There is also a virtual option for joining.
Jill Palladino is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: DHMS October Home and School Meeting
Time: Oct 6, 2026 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88558653835?pwd=15Rj4TzbQjb6YXeIiXqyszf451Ckky.1
Join and take notes
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88558653835?pwd=15Rj4TzbQjb6YXeIiXqyszf451Ckky.1&mynotes=on
Meeting chat link
https://us06web.zoom.us/launch/jc/88558653835
Meeting ID: 885 5865 3835
Passcode: 714341
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Save the Date:
9/30/26: Early Dismissal at 1:30 PM
10/5/26: Wear Blue Day
10/6/26: Dr. McGarry attends Home and School Meeting 7:00 PM
10/12: No School: Indigenous People's Day
10/13: Royal Academics: Invited 8th Grade Students Only
10/16: 6th Grade Social 6:00 PM-8:00 PM
10/22: Flu Clinic 2:00-4:00 PM Library
10/27/26: Picture Retake Day
CHIP
Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
The Children's Health Insurance Program — or CHIP — is Pennsylvania's program to provide health coverage to uninsured children and teens who are not eligible for or enrolled in Medical Assistance. Regardless of the reasons your children might not have health insurance, CHIP may be able to help you.
For more information on CHIP, please visit this link and see the attached flyer: https://www.dhs.pa.gov/CHIP/Pages/CHIP.aspx
Upper Darby School District graphic reminding parents to keep their information up to date in the Home Access Center (HAC). The graphic explains that HAC provides access to grades and academic progress, attendance records, schedule information, and other student information. It directs parents and guardians to the HAC Portal at hac.upperdarbysd.org and to a HAC Guide for login instructions and navigation tips. The graphic includes the District logo and the slogan “Opportunity. Unity. Excellence,” and is signed by Aaronda Q. Beauford, M.Ed., Director of Communications.
September is Attendance Awareness Month
September is Attendance Awareness Month!!!
Did you know that regular school attendance is one of the most important factors in a child's academic success? This month, we want to highlight the critical role you play in your child’s educational journey.
Why Attendance Matters:
Academic Achievement: Students who attend school regularly are more likely to achieve higher grades and perform better on standardized tests. In fact, research shows that students who miss just two days a month can fall behind academically and struggle to catch up.
Long-Term Success: Chronic absenteeism—defined as missing 10% or more of the school year—has been linked to lower graduation rates. According to the National Center for Children in Poverty, students with chronic absenteeism are 20% less likely to graduate from high school compared to their peers with regular attendance.
Future Opportunities: Regular attendance in the early years sets a foundation for future educational success. By the 6th grade, chronic absenteeism can significantly reduce a student's likelihood of graduating high school, with a staggering 80% of students who are chronically absent in the 6th grade failing to graduate on time.
How You Can Help:
Set a Routine: Establish a consistent daily routine for waking up and getting ready for school. Encourage your child to go to bed early to ensure they are well-rested.
Communicate: Talk to your child about the importance of attending school and the impact it has on their future.
Address Issues Early: If your child is struggling with school attendance due to health, bullying, or other issues, contact their school for support and resources.
Celebrate Attendance: Recognize and reward good attendance to encourage your child to maintain regular school participation.
Together, we can help ensure that every child has the opportunity to reach their full potential. Remember, every day counts, and your involvement makes a difference!
For more information and resources on how to support your child’s attendance, please contact your child’s school counselor or administrator.
Let’s make every school day count!
Fall Sports
If your child is interested in playing a Fall Sport, please visit our website at https://drexellhillmiddle.upperdarbysd.org/clubs-activities/athletics to sign up! We offer Football, Boys and Girls Soccer, Girls Volleyball and Girls Field Hockey. Students must have an up to date physical in order to participate.
6th Grade Assisntant Principal, Dr. Ron Cole
7th Grade Assistant Principal, Ms. Andrea Simpson
8th Grade Assistant Principal, Ms. Jennifer Rosen
Emergency Card Information
Each year emergency cards are distributed to families so that our families can update information, add emergency contacts, etc. The emergency cards are due back to the school by September 11th. If you need to remove an emergency contact from your child's list, please do this through the Home Access Center (HAC). If you need assistance accessing HAC, please contact your child's principal.
Morning Coffee with Dr. McGarry
2026–2027 “Morning Coffee with Dr. McGarry” flyer inviting parents and staff to informal meetings with Dr. McGarry, Superintendent of Schools, to discuss district initiatives and updates. Attendees can ask questions and enjoy coffee with the superintendent.
Schedule:
GF — September 8, 8:15–8:45 a.m., Library
AR — September 9, 8:15–8:45 a.m., Library
BHMS — September 10, 7:40–7:55 a.m., Library
BY — September 15, 8:15–8:45 a.m., Library
PR — September 16, 8:15–8:45 a.m., Library
KCTR (AM only) — September 17, 8:30–8:40 a.m., Meeting Room
DHMS — September 22, 8:15–8:45 a.m., Library
HC — September 23, 8:15–8:45 a.m., Library
WBP — September 28, 8:15–8:45 a.m., Library
SH — September 29, 8:15–8:45 a.m., Library
HP — September 30, 8:15–8:45 a.m., Library
UDHS — October 7, 8:00–8:30 a.m., Library
CHMS — October 14, 7:40–7:55 a.m., Library
The flyer features a smiling illustrated coffee cup and coffee beans on a tan background. It concludes with the message, “Hope to see you there!”
Helpful Links to Bookmark:
- UDSD Family Handbook
- 26-27 UDSD Year at a Glance Calendar
- 26-27 Summary of Calendar
- A/B Calendar for all UDSD Middle Schools
- Family Friendly Thursday Early Dismissal Schedule
- MS FAQ
- DHMS Bell Schedules
- School Assignment and Bus Look Up
- DHMS Family and Student Handbook
- UDSD Middle School Code of Character
- UDSD Online Learning Manual
- HAC Access Link
- HAC Guide
- DHMS Contact Information
- HAC Support email - parentportal@upperdarbysd.org (Please use the email above if you are in need of support related to Home Access Center)
- 2026-2027 School Closing Plan Due to Employee Absences and Bus Driver Shortages
Student Lockers
Lockers will be assigned at student request, however, there are enough lockers for ALL students. Lockers will be allocated by 1st period teachers. Students will be strongly encouraged to store their electronic devices in their locker as soon as they arrive at school as part of their morning entrance procedure.
Smart Pass
We’re excited to share that SmartPass, a digital hall pass system, will continue to be implemented at all of our secondary schools this year.
What is SmartPass?
SmartPass is a secure, digital tool that replaces traditional paper hall passes. Students use their school-issued devices to request and receive passes, allowing staff to better manage hallway activity and support student safety.
Why are we using it?
SmartPass helps:
Reduce unnecessary hallway traffic
Improve student accountability
Enhance overall safety and supervision
Dismissal and Arrival/Drop Off and Pick Up Reminders
- Dismissal will be staggered. WALKERS/CAR RIDERS WILL BE DISMISSED AT 3:05. They are expected to leave campus by 3:15. BUSSERS will be dismissed at 3:10 and will report directly to the auditorium.
- No cars will be allowed to enter the bus loop from 7:45 AM-9:00 AM.
- The bus loop will close at 2:45 PM and will re-open at 4:00 PM.
- All vehicle drop off and pick up will occur in the back teacher parking lot.
- Walkers/car riders need to be off campus as soon as possible.
- Once a student is out of the building they can not re-enter the building. If a student is a busser and leaves the building, they are not permitted to re-enter the building.
- Early Dismissals will not be honored past 2:45 PM. Please plan accordingly.
Cell Phones
Please be mindful of Policy 237, Electronic Communication Devices. As a reminder, personal electronic devices (cell phones, headphones, ipads, gaming consoles, etc.) are not permitted in school. Please practice phone free times!
Schedule Overview for the 26-27 School Year
As presented and shared in the Spring of 2023, the UDSD Middle Schools have made changes to student rostering and the building schedule. Please review the presentation in its entirety linked HERE
A brief summary of the changes is listed below:
Each grade will consist of two heterogeneous Learning Communities per grade (named Purple and Gold)
An A/B day schedule has been established for electives, excluding full year electives, which means that students will rotate their electives every day.
DHMS will have an early dismissal every Thursday at 1:30 PM for teacher/staff planning time.
Time is included for professional development as outlined on the district calendar
Students will complete asynchronous work on non-professional development Thursday afternoons and will be required to answer an attendance question in their first period course. This attendance question will be collected through the use of a Google Form, which will be found on the Period 1 Schoology page. Parents will be communicated with if the attendance question is not completed for that day.
Detailed information about assigned asynchronous requirements will be provided from the grade level learning community teachers.
A complete outline for the year and when asynchronous work will be assigned can be found on our school website and linked here.
School Photos/Student ID Cards
First Week of School Lessons!
Please note that lessons during the first week of school will focus soley on relationship building, setting expectations, PBIS, mental health awareness, goal setting and building tours. Your student is being honest if they come home and say “we did not do Math yet”. We firmly believe that in order for students to learn and grow, they need to feel safe and loved. It is our goal during the first weeks of the school year for teachers and staff to get to know your student and vice versa! Students will walk through a lesson on the UDSD Middle School Code of Character, as well as possible consequences for violations to the UDSD Middle School Code of Character. Please note, a possible consequence for violations of the UDSD Middle School Code of Character could be an informal hearing with the Director of Secondary Education.
Food Deliveries
School Supplies
Crisis Go for Families
As part of the Upper Darby School District’s Emergency Preparedness Plan and the Emergency Communications Plan, CrisisGo allows parents to receive emergency school safety alerts from the school district and individual school buildings. District parents can download the CrisisGo app onto their mobile device and to create a free account. Parents will then need to subscribe to the school(s) of choice and to the District group.
Click on the link to learn how to subscribe: UDSD Parents - CrisisGo Subscription Flyer.
We encourage secondary school students to receive up-to-date communication about emergency notifications as well. Students can click on the link to learn how to subscribe: UDSD Students - CrisisGo Subscription Flyer
Please review with your children the safety terminology we will be using in our emergency communications: Lock-In, Lock-Out, Lockdown, Evacuation FAQ for Families. We will review these terms and the emergency preparedness plan with students throughout the school year.
Please note that the District will continue to communicate emergency lockdown alerts and updates through CrisisGo, ParentLink emails and social media (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram).
Let's Communicate
There are several ways to stay informed about what is happening at Drexel Hill Middle School and throughout the District.
Weekly “Wednesday” Electronic Folder (ParentLink) from the Principal
Weekly information, updates, resources will be shared via email. It is necessary to provide an accurate email address to stay informed. If there are any changes to your email, please update your information in Home Access Center (HAC) or by contacting the Drexel Hill Middle School Main Office if you need assistance. If your information is not up-to-date, you will miss out on important “happenings” and information. Please be sure to review, edit, and update this information at https://www.upperdarbysd.org/HAC
School Website and Calendar
Weekly updates, teachers’ webpages, principal’s webpage, and monthly school newsletters can be accessed from the school website.
Home Access Center
The Upper Darby School District will be using email as its primary means of communication with parents. Parents must ensure that the district has an accurate email address for your family in eSchool, our student information system. Parents can update or add email addresses by logging into the Home Access Center. The Home Access Center will also allow you to access your child’s grades, attendance, and other important information. The link to the Home Access Center can be found on the Upper Darby School District website at www.upperdarbysd.org. If you do not have an email address or access to email, please contact the office.
- Talking Points -Talking Points allows teachers to communicate with families in a two-way conversation with parents in the parents’ home language. The web-based platform uses human and AI-powered technology to eliminate barriers to foster family engagement and support academic success.
Parent Volunteers
If you are a VOLUNTEER or want to be a volunteer, please visit our website at https://www.upperdarbysd.org/volunteering to review a description of the requirements for a volunteer or our Parent Volunteer Resource Packet. Policy 916 gives a full description of the definition of a volunteer and examples as to who is required to obtain the clearances and who is not. All parents interested in becoming volunteers must contact their building principal to apply by completing a volunteer application that can be found on BoardDocs. Our district’s website also provides instructions on how to obtain the three mandatory clearances under the Human Resources department. ID badges are not mandatory for volunteers, but it is an alternative to having to go through the Raptor secure visitor management system with each school visit. Please contact Aaronda Q. Beauford, Director of Communications, at abeauford@upperdarbysd.org with any questions.
Safe To Say
We feel that it is important to remind our parents and students of the Safe2Say Something program. The Upper Darby School District takes the safety and security of our staff and students very seriously and recognizes that the uncertainties and pressures that students and families have faced the uncertainty of a pandemic has clearly demonstrated that the mental health of students as a priority. The Safe2Say Something system teaches youth and adults how to recognize warning signs and signals, especially within social media, of individuals who may be a threat to themselves or others and say something, using our anonymous reporting system. Safe2Say Something is also a way to anonymously report unsafe, potentially harmful, dangerous, violent or criminal activities in any school in Pennsylvania.
For anyone who is feeling unsure or unsafe, please remember that there is help and it is okay to ask for help.
Find below videos and the District’s webpage outlining the Safe2Say Something PA Program:
UDSD Safe2Say Something Presentation 2024
https://pa02209738.schoolwires.net/Page/8021
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Noteworthy Links
- 2026-2027 Middle School Code of Character—https://app.smore.com/n/hd4t6
- Home Access Center Guide—https://app.smore.com/n/3geq8w
- 2026-2027 Online Learning Manual for Students and Parents — https://app.smore.com/n/572048
- Parent Volunteer Resource Packet—https://app.smore.com/n/8nzfy
- 2026-2027 Emergency Communications Plan—https://app.smore.com/n/gq8c7
- CrisisGo Subscription Flyer–https://app.smore.com/n/8w120
Emergency Preparedness Safety Terms FAQs—https://app.smore.com/n/aceyh
- 2026-2027 School Closing Plan Due to Employee Absences and Bus Driver Shortages — https://app.smore.com/n/zq42r
- 2026-2027 Student & Family School Handbook-https://app.smore.com/n/r9028
Drexel Hill Middle School
Email: jpalladino@upperdarbysd.org
Website: https://drexellhillmiddle.upperdarbysd.org/
Location: 3001 State Road, Drexel Hill, PA, USA
Phone: 610-8534580