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

I want to thank our students for their hard work this week on their NWEA tests. It is important our students give their best effort when taking this test because it shows how students are growing academically, areas of focus moving forward, and it is great practice for the M-Step/PSAT tests that they will be taking in April.

Grade levels are beginning to plan school field trips for the end of the school year. As information comes home, please review important dates and the requirements for students to be eligible to go. Typically grade levels require students to meet certain expectations dealing with grades, attendance, and behavior over a period of time. It is important that you and your child know those requirements so that your child remains eligible to attend these field trips.

Our girls basketball and middle school wrestling teams' seasons are now in full swing. As we prepare for home games and meets, I wanted to review our expectations for students who attend. We welcome students to attend as long as they are meeting our expectations of being Safe, Kind, Respectful, and Responsible (SK2R). This means showing these traits towards our athletes and coaches, referees, visiting teams and fans, and their peers. If students are not able meet these SK2R expectations, they will only be able to attend these games and meets with an adult.

As always, I would like to thank our students, staff, families, and community for their continued hard work and support. Enjoy your 3 day weekend, stay warm, and GO LIONS!!!

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, January 20th - No School for Students - Staff Development

Friday, January 24th - Popcorn Friday at the Middle School during lunch

Monday, January 27th through Friday, January 31st- The Great Kindness Challenge Week

Monday, February 3rd - PIE Meeting in the Elementary Library

Wednesday, February 5th - KickStart Deposit Day

Saturday, February 8th - Father / Daughter Dance Middle School Cafeteria

Monday, February 17th - No School for Students - Staff Development

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

Congratulations to our amazing SK2R Panther Paw winners this week! These students have shown outstanding behavior by embodying the values of being Safe, Kind, Responsible, and Respectful in all that they do.

As a special reward for their responsible behavior , each of our Panther Paw winners received a sweet candy prize! 🍬 Their positive behavior is truly appreciated, and we hope it inspires others to follow their example of kindness and respect.

Keep up the fantastic work, and remember, you too can earn a Panther Paw for demonstrating these important values. Together, we make our school a safe and welcoming place for everyone!

This week, Mrs. Ingle’s 8th-grade health class worked on creating colorful "brain caps" that they could wear on their heads, illustrating the different regions of the brain and their functions.

The brain caps were not just a creative activity—they served as a hands-on way to explore how concussions can affect specific areas of the brain. By visualizing and labeling the brain's different regions, students gained a deeper understanding of how injuries can disrupt processes such as memory, coordination, and decision-making.

The students were excited to display their brain caps, which showcased their artistic talents alongside their growing knowledge of brain safety and health.

We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to our Partners in Education (PIE) team for the wonderful "Make Your Own Trail Mix Bar" set up in the staff lounge this past Tuesday.

Your thoughtful gesture is truly appreciated by all of us.Thank you for always going above and beyond to support our middle school staff and for making our day a little brighter (and snack-filled)!

We are so lucky to have such a supportive group in PIE.

A big shoutout to Laci Watson, one of our amazing elementary secretaries, for helping our middle school students! Laci worked with United Way to secure a generous donation of recess balls for our middle schoolers.These new supplies are definitely going to make recess more fun and active for everyone.

We’re so grateful for Laci’s efforts. Her kindness and support mean so much to both our students and staff!

Winter days may be chilly, but every so often, we’re treated to a milder day that’s perfect for some outdoor fun! Recently, some of our 6th graders were able to take advantage of the sunshine and warmer temperatures to build a snowman during their classroom break.

DKMS will be joining schools across America and creating kindness by taking part in The Great Kindness Challenge 2025!

From January 27-31, our DKMS students and staff will be asked to engage in acts of kindness through daily themes and activities. All of which focus on care, respect, and inclusion.

This week is designed to recognize and promote kindness across our DK Community and beyond.

More info coming soon!

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.

1. Who’s in your family? My sons Joseph and Andrew, as well as my daughter Nicole ( who lives separately) with her sons Ryder and Aubrey. We also have Teddy, who is our Teddy bear dog.

2. What do weekends with your family look like? Talking, getting groceries, doing laundry, completing outdoor chores and discussing plans for the upcoming week , etc.

3. Is there a favorite meal you all enjoy together? Unfortunately no. Nicole, Joseph and I love snow crab legs, but Andrew is a vegetarian and Joseph has a feeding tube so his food intake is limited.

4. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? There are many places I have been that I have loved, but for a new experience, I would love to go to Australia or New Zealand.

5. What inspired you to start working in education? Teachers that I had growing up started the thought process initially. After spending a year as a paraprofessional I knew that I wanted to continue my education and teach.

6. How long have you been a part of our school community? I grew up in Delton. I went to school here k-12. I came back here to raise my family and have been here working for 24 years.

7. What’s your favorite thing about working here? My team. Hands down, we have the best staff. I also love getting to see kids of people I know and watching them grow up.

8. What’s one thing students or staff might not know about you? I am an NRA and AG&G Certified Range Safety Officer, an NRA Certified "Refuse to Be A Victim" Instructor, and an Image Based Decisional Drills Instructor. I am also currently learning Spanish.

9. What’s one thing you enjoy doing outside of school? I love to read, and of course I love to play poker and go to the range.

10. What advice would you give to students for a successful school year? Try. We can give you the information, but you are responsible for your learning and you will only get out of it what you put into it. The only way out of a bad situation is to take control and be educated. Education can open many doors.

11. If you weren’t working in education, what do you think you’d be doing? I would be a dental hygienist. I actually studied that in college before becoming a teacher. When I was younger I also wanted to be a marine biologist.

12. What advice would you give to students about staying motivated? Being successful is a choice. It’s not about what you want; it’s about what you DO and how you do it. Learning is a lifelong skill. You are never done. It is okay not to get things right the first time. We learn when we figure out what we did wrong.

13. Who was a teacher or person who inspired you growing up? I had several so it would not be fair to name just one.

14. What’s one thing that always makes you smile during the school day? Hugs from students.

Please follow and double check with Eventlink and your child's coach to ensure there are no schedule changes.

Monday, January 20th, 2025

Wrestling (Coed-MS) - Allegan Middle School

When: Mon, Jan 20, 5:30 PM EST - 6:30 PM EST

Wednesday, January 22nd, 2025

Basketball (G-6th) - South Haven Baseline

When: Wed, Jan 22, 4:00 PM EST - 5:00 PM EST

Basketball (G-7th) - South Haven Baseline

When: Wed, Jan 22, 5:00 PM EST - 6:00 PM EST

Location: Delton-Kellogg Middle School

Basketball (G-8th) - South Haven Baseline

When: Wed, Jan 22, 6:00 PM EST - 7:00 PM EST

Location: Delton-Kellogg Middle School

Thursday, January 23rd, 2025

Wrestling (Coed-MS) - Delton-Kellogg Middle School

When: Thu, Jan 23, 5:30 PM EST - 6:30 PM EST

Location:Delton-Kellogg Middle School

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