DKMS Newsletter

Happy Friday DKMS families! It has been another great week here in the middle school.

Wednesday was the last scheduled day for state testing. Our 5th graders finished their M-STEP Social Studies and Science tests. I want to thank everyone for their hard work and focus during our state testing days. If your child missed any testing days, Mrs. Boorsma, our district testing coordinator, is in the process of having these students complete their test . Our final round of district testing, NWEA, will happen Tuesday May 13th and Thursday May 15th. The testing finish line is right around the corner!

I would like to congratulate our 5th, 6th, 7/8 grade bands, and Mrs. Knight for a wonderful concert last night! It was awesome to hear and see the growth of our band students throughout the year and to see the growth of our 7th and 8th graders after multiple years of playing in the band. For our 8th grade students I hope to hear and see you continue playing in the high school band. It was a packed house last night and an amazing performance by all of our bands!

Next week we will be sending home sign up sheets for our DKMS Summer Camp we will be offering this year. Here are a few details:

• It will run Monday through Thursday July 21-24, July 28-31, and August 4-7.
• Time: 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. Breakfast will be served at 8:45 am and lunch will be at 12:00 pm.
• 8th grade students will be offered a two week high school orientation program in mid-August
• Students will have 4 45 minute classes. There will be a description of each of these classes on the permission slip.
• We will be running Summer School more as a day camp with our class offerings. There will be a math class. This will be tailored to meet the child's needs through interventions and/or enrichments.

As always I would like to thank our students, staff, families, and community for all of their hard work and support. May is full of many events, so please make sure you are checking our newsletter and website for more information. Don't forget that Tuesday May 6, 2025 is your chance to vote on the bond proposal. Have a great 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

Saturday, May 3rd - Hand2Hand Breakfast Fundraiser at the Moose Lodge

Tuesday, May 6th - Vote on Bond Proposal ✅ 🏫

Wednesday, May 7th - DKS Art Show - Delton District Library (Viewing from the 7th -16th)

Friday, May 16th - 8th Grade Casino Royale Dance

Thursday, May 22nd- Middle School Career Day - starts at 8:00 a.m.

Friday, May 23rd - Supply Pack Forms and Money due to PIE or the middle school office

Monday, May 26th - No school- Memorial Day 🤍

Wednesday, May 28th - Kickstart Deposit Day 💰 / The Little Mermaid, Jr. at the HS auditorium 7:00 pm

Saturday, May 31st -The Little Mermaid, Jr. at the HS auditorium 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm

Tuesday, June 3rd - Half day dismissal at 11:30 am

Wednesday, June 4th - End of Year Students' Awards Ceremony / Half day dismissal at 11:30 am

Thursday, June 5th - Last day of School - Half day dismissal at 11:30 am

This week, we are proud to recognize these outstanding Panther Paw Winners—students who went above and beyond in showing what it means to be Safe, Kind, Respectful, and Responsible (SK2R)!

Your actions didn’t go unnoticed, and we’re proud of the positive choices you’re making each day. Keep up the great work, Panthers! Let’s continue to lead with SK2R in everything we do!

On May 1, our middle school theatre group took an exciting field trip to the Kalamazoo Civic Theatre to see The Seussification of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. This fun and creative performance combined the whimsy of Dr. Seuss with the classic storytelling of Shakespeare.

Students also got a special behind-the-scenes tour, where they explored the costume room, set design areas, lighting booth, and storage spaces. It was a fantastic opportunity for students to see how a professional production comes together—and get inspired for their own performances.

A huge thank-you to Mrs. Renee and Ms. Maggie Martin for their support and help in making this wonderful field trip possible.

Thanks to the Gun Lake Women’s Club, our 6th grade students had a special visit from author David Stricklen on Thursday, May 1st.

He shared how he writes his fantasy adventure books, including the Blackwater Pond series and his newest release, Ripley Robinson and the Worm Charmer, which was featured in KIRKUS Review and named one of their “35 Great Books Worth Discovering.” Students enjoyed a fun, interactive presentation that included some magic tricks.

The author returned on Friday, May 2nd to offer signed books at a discounted price.

A big thank-you to the Gun Lake Women’s Club for making this visit possible.

We have had an amazing pilot year in our 7th Grade ROX girls group learning about communication, working through strategies to deal with pressure, navigating social media and using our voice to define boundaries and stand up for ourselves. We meet weekly to learn these and many other lessons to help navigate middle school life. This last week we re-defined body image and what that truly means and how differently that is portrayed in mainstream media. We will wrap up the year talking more about what the future holds and identifying each student's leadership traits to help them as they graduate their first year of ROX. -- Sarah Collins Middle School Counselor / ROX Facilitator

On Monday, April 28th, our school came together to celebrate a very special person—Claude Hard, our beloved daytime custodian—on his 72nd birthday!

Claude is more than just someone who keeps our school clean and running smoothly. He’s a friend, a role model, and someone who truly cares about every student and staff member in our building. From smiling hellos in the hallway to lending a hand when it’s needed most, Claude brings kindness, dedication, and joy to our school every day.

Claude's special day was full of smiles and sweet treats—including a special batch of fishing-themed birthday cookies made by Mckenzie Spencer. A huge thank you to Mckenzie for the creative and delicious treats.

Mrs. Rhoda’s community circle group also created a heartfelt, handmade birthday card for Claude, filled with messages of appreciation and birthday wishes from the students.

Happy 72nd, Claude! Our school wouldn’t be the same without you!

On Thursday, May 1st, the middle school band students put on a fantastic performance at the High School LGI under the direction of Mrs. Knight. The concert showcased the hard work, dedication, and musical talent of our young musicians.

A big thank-you to Mrs. Knight for her leadership and to everyone who came out to support our middle school band!

Mrs. Knight’s ukulele students continue to visit the office and other parts of the school to share the songs they’ve been learning. It’s always fun to watch and listen to how well they’re doing!

Thanks to Mrs. Knight for helping them shine. Great job, students!

Mark your calendars! The Middle School Theater Club is proud to present The Little Mermaid, Jr. on May 28 and 31, 2025.

Public performance times are as follows:

• Wednesday, May 28 at 7:00 PM

• Saturday, May 31 at 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM

All performances will take place in the High School Auditorium, and tickets are just $5 each.

This production is being directed by Miss Maggie Martin, with Mrs. Susan Renee serving as the faculty advisor.

Come out and support our talented student performers as they bring this magical underwater adventure to life on stage!

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!

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: 269-623-1541

Email: julie.gorter@dkschools.org

Location: 6325 Delton Road, Delton, MI, USA

Phone: 269-623-1542