DKMS Newsletter

Happy Friday and New Year's DKMS families! It was a great first week back here in the middle school.

Our second semester/third quarter started this week. It's important our students start off strong, so they are not stressing out and playing catch up at the end of the quarter. It is important for you to check PowerSchool to see your child's grades and to check your emails for communication from teachers about Summative Assignment retakes. Report cards will be emailed after school Friday January 16, 2026. If you do not get emails or need to update your contact information in PowerSchool, please contact the middle school office at (269) 623-1540 and we can assist you.

Friday January 9, 2026 is the last day for the third quarter students can enroll or return from our virtual program. Friday March 20, 2026, will be the last time this school year students will be able to enroll or return from our virtual program. If you have any questions about our virtual program, please contact me at bobby.tillman@dkschools.org or by phone at (269) 623-1544.

If your child is going to miss school, please make sure you contact our attendance line at (269) 623-1540 and leave a message with your child's name and the reason they will be out. Only absences that you provide documentation for (doctor, dentist, physical or mental therapy, funeral, etc.) will be marked as excused. Also, your child must be fever or vomiting free for 24 hours before returning to school.

Next week Tuesday and Thursday, we will be taking our second round of STAR Reading and Math assessments. It is important for students to get a good night's rest, charge their chromebook, attend school, eat breakfast, and try their best on these assessments. The results will show how much they have grown academically since September and help our teachers plan for the remainder of the year.

As always, I want to thank our students, staff, families, and community for their hard work and support. As we start 2026, it's a great time to refocus and start fresh. I hope everyone had a wonderful break and I'm very excited to get started with our second semester! Have a great weekend!

It's a great day to be a PANTHER!

--

Thank you,

DKMS Principal and District McKinney-Vento Liaison

Delton Kellogg Middle School

6325 Delton Rd

Delton, MI 49046

Office Phone: (269) 623-1544

Work Cell: (269) 297-1256

Monday, January 19th - No School for Students (Professional Development Day Staff)

Saturday, February 7th - Father / Daughter Gumdrop Ball Dance

Monday, February 16th - No School for Students (Professional Development Day Staff)

Thursday, March 12th - Half Day Students-Dismissal 11:30 am - Parent Teacher Conferences (5pm to 8pm).

Friday, March 13th - Half Day Students and Staff-Dismissal 11:30 am

Friday, March 20th - End of 3rd quarter

Monday, March 30th – Wednesday, April 1st- 5th Grade Camp - Sherman Lake YMCA

Friday, April 3rd- No School Students or Staff

Monday, April 6th - Friday, April 10th- Spring Break Students and Staff

Monday, April 13th - School Resumes Full day Dismissal 2:50 pm

Middle school students attended an assembly today in the high school LGI, presented by A’ric Jackson. His message focused on inspiration, setting goals, working hard, and the importance of changing culture. Students were encouraged to believe in themselves, stay motivated, and understand how their choices and effort can shape their future.

Today, the Delton PIE group rewarded students from our annual Walkathon who raised more than $100. These students earned a pizza party as a thank-you for their hard work and fundraising efforts. A big thank you to Delton PIE for supporting our students, and congratulations to the students for a job well done!

Each week, students earn Panther Paws for demonstrating SK2R behavior—being Safe, Kind, Responsible, and Respectful. Students can turn in their Panther Paws for Jolly Ranchers, and their names are entered into a weekly drawing. Every Friday, several names are drawn, and the selected students receive a special treat. Congratulations to the students pictured below!

Congratulations to Dallas Spencer, a 7th-grade student at DKMS, who recently traveled to Nassau, Bahamas to compete in the Atlantis Crown Invitational! This international gymnastics competition featured athletes from across the United States and four other countries. Dallas’s Level 6 team earned 1st Place, and Dallas achieved an impressive 2nd Place Overall Individually. We are so proud of her!

Sharing a couple of pictures of lunchtime fun as our 5th graders enjoy indoor games, time together, and lots of laughs.

The Panther Den at Delton Kellogg Middle School helps students by providing snacks, clothing, shoes, toiletries, and other essential items they may need. To continue supporting our students, we rely on donations to replenish and restock the Panther Den as supplies run low.

The middle school has created a Panther Den Amazon Wishlist to make it easy to contribute. Each donation helps us provide students with the essentials for a successful school year.

How to Help:

• Scan the QR Code below

• Or click here: Panther Den Amazon Wishlist

Thank you for helping us keep the Panther Den stocked and supporting our students!

Order Online: ybpay.lifetouch.com

Yearbook ID Code: 13316726

Order Deadline: April 10, 2026

Scan the QR code or visit the website to place your order today!

Don’t miss out on a keepsake full of this year’s memories!

Meal accounts & Education and Nutrition forms can be set up at: deltonkellogg.familyportal.cloud Students and staff ID #s will be needed to set-up meal accounts.

Please email tiffany.haines@dkschools.org if you need your student or staff ID #.

Families, please remember to complete the 2025–2026 Education and Nutrition Benefits Form. Only one form per family is needed. This helps our school receive important funding and ensures students have access to available meal benefits.

Please check event link for all updates and changes.

* 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

Background checks for volunteers are essential to ensure the safety and well-being of students.This helps keep our school environment secure and positive for all students.Therefore in a continued effort to keep our schools as safe as possible, all volunteer parents and community members, as well as classroom visitors, must submit to criminal background checks.Field trip chaperones are also considered volunteers. Visitor and Volunteer Consent forms must be completed each year and should be turned into the middle school office. You can pick up a volunteer form in the office or click below to print one.

Tentative Kickstart Deposit days at DKMS:

Lost and Found items will be retained for 30 days. After which, they will be donated locally. If you have a student that is missing something, please ask them to check the lost and found shelf, located near the entrance to the cafeteria. If you would like to claim an item, please stop by the middle school office Mon-Fri 7:30 - 3:30.

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