April 20th, 2026

Links I Submit an Announcement | DMS Tech Zone | Custodial Request Form | Daily Bell Schedule | School Map I Leadership Team and Counselor Shared Commitments I Faculty Handbook I

Submit a Morning Announcement I MTSS Support Request I Behavior Tier 1 Interventions I Behavior Tier 2 Interventions I Dorsey's Pulse Check 2025-2026 I Previous Newsletters

We set high expectations, build strong relationships, and deliver excellent teaching every day. Together with families, we help every student grow into a confident, skilled, and kind Champion, ready for their future.

Good afternoon DMS Family,

Thank you for helping make our Mindfulness Spirit Week such a meaningful success. Our Champions spent the week practicing positive affirmations, deep breathing, and strategies for staying calm and focused; skills that support both their well‑being and their learning. The energy across DMS was incredible, and your leadership, modeling, and encouragement made that possible.

As we head into Georgia Milestones testing, we want every student to feel confident and ready to shine. Here are a few simple ways you can continue supporting success in the classroom:

• 🌙 Remind students about the importance of a good night’s sleep so they arrive rested and alert

• 🍎 Encourage them to eat a healthy breakfast before testing

• ⏰ Reinforce taking their time and reading each question carefully

• 🧠 Help them trust their preparation—they’ve worked hard all year under your guidance

• ✏️ Continue practicing and prompting test‑taking strategies like eliminating wrong answers and annotating

• 💧 Encourage students to bring water and use calming breaths if they feel stressed

Your support makes all the difference. Together, let’s help our students feel confident, capable, and ready to show what they know. I'm so proud of them and grateful for you.

With gratitude,
Jimmie

Monday, April 20th: GMAS ELA Section 1

Spring Bookfair (Media Center)

4:20 PM Running Club (Front Desk)

Tuesday, April 21st: GMAS ELA Section 2

Spring Bookfair (Media Center)

Curriculum Meetings (Planning)

4:30 PM Velocity (Media Center)

4:30 PM Band: 8th Grade Rehearsal

Wednesday, April 22nd: GMAS ELA Section 3

Spring Bookfair (Media Center)

4:20 PM Running Club (Front Desk)

4:30 PM Girls Volleyball Conditioning (Gym)

6:00 PM Rising 6th Grade Parent Night (Cafeteria)

Thursday, April 23rd

Spring Bookfair (Media Center)

8:00 AM AASA for 8th Grade Only (Ms. A. Nguyn's Room)

8:00 AM Creative Writing Club (Ms. Young=Park's Room)

5:00 PM Cluster STEAM Night (Downtown Duluth)

Friday, April 24th: GMAS SS Sections 1 & 2 (8th Grade Only)

Spring Bookfair (Media Center)

Saturday, April 25th

7:30 AM Solo & Ensemble @ DMS

9:00 AM Saturday Success (Invited Students)

9:00 AM DMS Food Give Away (Bus Lanes)

9:00 AM Rising 6th Grade Tour (Reservation Required)

10:00 AM Cosmo Health Center Workshop (Media Center)

At Duluth Middle, we believe small‑group instruction is essential to helping every student grow and is a core expectation aligned with the GCPS Instructional Framework. Embracing the mindset that Small Groups = Big Results, we expect purposeful small‑group instruction to occur every instructional day in every classroom. Whether through quick data‑driven groupings, targeted reteaching, or guided mixed‑ability work, these intentional moments allow teachers to meet students where they are, respond to needs in real time, and provide the right balance of support and challenge. Thank you for consistently leaning into this work and creating classrooms where all Wildcats are seen, supported, and challenged to grow.

Faculty and staff can easily connect with each other, families, and the community through our communication hub. Check out the list below to find the right contact for your needs!

• Weekly Smore Newsletter - Jenn Burley
• Morning Announcements - Laura Cooper
• Scrolling Announcements - Laura Cooper
• Afternoon Announcements - Elfy Horne
• ParentSquare - Elfy Horne
• ViewSonic - Elfy Horne
• Marquee - Liang Feria
• Website - Jenn Burley
• Instagram - Corrine Moore
• School Calendar - Maria Pineda, Jenn Burley
• Flyers Approval - Carey McDurmon

Please nominate our Champions for the month of March. Nominations are due Wednesday, April 22nd.

Student of the Month

Staff of the Month

This week we have GMAS testing.

View the weekly lessons for Advisement/Cat Tales on the instructional planning calendar here.

The following link provides access to the Georgia Milestones schedules we will use for the 2026 administration.

Once you open the spreadsheet, note the page tabs at the bottom that will provide access to each day's schedule.

2026 GMAS Schedules

• Gr8 Chromebooks will be collected on Monday, May 18th.
• Grs6/7 Chromebooks will be collected on Tuesday, May 19th.
• Collection schedules will be provided in the coming weeks.

Connections

• Grades 6-8 Connections Final Exams (A-Side and B-Side) - May 13, 2026
• May 14th can be used as a makeup day if necessary.
• All Connections classes are expected to administer a final exam.
• If a district exam is provided, it must be administered.
• Otherwise, a locally created exam must be administered.
• There will not be an alternate test schedule for these exams. The regular Connections schedule will be used.

Locally Created Final Exams

• Grades 6-8 ELA Final Exams - May 14th, 2026
• Grade 8 SS Final Exams - May 14th, 2026
• Grades 6-8 MA Final Exams - May 15th, 2026
• Grade 8 SC Final Exams - May 15th, 2026
• There will not be an alternate test schedule for these exams. The regular class schedule will be used.

District Created Final Exams

• Grades 6 & 7 SC/SS S2 Final Exams - May 18th
• There will be an alternate test schedule and lunch schedule for this day.
• Link to Schedules

We are excited to recognize and celebrate our brightest Champions through the Principal’s Award. This honor is presented annually to a DMS student who demonstrates leadership through meaningful community service. The ideal recipient has taken initiative to create positive change and has contributed to activities that better our school and local community. A minimum overall numerical average of 80% is required for eligibility.

Application Details:

• Applicants must obtain one (1) teacher recommendation from a current DMS teacher.
• Applications will be reviewed by a selection committee.
• Two Principal’s Award recipients per Grade Level will be presented at the Spring Grade Level Honors Night program.
• Applicants will also receive a monetary scholarship from the Korean Church of Atlanta for their hard work, dedication and commitment to excellence.
• All application essays and teacher recommendations must be submitted by Friday, April 24th, 2026.

Essay Prompts:
Please respond to both prompts below. Each response should be a maximum of 250 words and typed directly into the space provided. Complete the essay form HERE.

1. Leadership - In a brief essay, describe what leadership means to you. How do you believe you will continue exemplifying leadership at our school and in our community as a recipient of the Principal’s Award? (250 Words)

2. Challenging Others - "As a leader, it’s important to encourage others to try new things and step out of their comfort zones, but you should always make sure they are still using their strengths." - John Maxwell
   

   Think about this: How do you support the people around you at DMS - like students, teachers, and administrators—in trying new things while still making sure they’re using their strengths?

Teacher Recommendation:
DMS Teachers should complete the form. Recommendations are due Friday, April 24th, 2026.

Important Deadline:
All application essays and teacher recommendations must be submitted by Friday, April 24th, 2026.

I look forward to reading about your leadership journeys and accomplishments! If you have any questions, please feel free to email me - Dr. McKinley

Our community is coming together on Saturday May 2nd, 2026 from 5-7PM for a night of global celebration, and we want you to be a part of it! International Night is a wonderful opportunity to unite our neighbors and share the rich traditions that make our community so special.

How You Can Participate:

• Share a Taste of Home: Consider preparing a dish for approximately 100+ community members. (Bite-sized samples are always a hit!)
• Showcase Your Culture: Decorate your table with your country’s colors, traditional artifacts, maps, or photos.
• Perform: Do you know a traditional dance or song? We’d love to see the beauty of your heritage in action!

Ready to Join the Fun?

• Please complete this form https://forms.gle/9kFrjMd8FuCj68mt6

A Few Quick Tips for Success:

• Portioning: For a crowd of 100+, think of "tasting portions" (small cups or toothpicks) rather than full servings. This lets everyone try a bit of everything!
• The Vibe: Don't forget a playlist! If you have traditional music from your country, it adds a great layer to the atmosphere around your table.

Students will be recognized for their achievement during an awards ceremony In May. Academic grades from the first and second semesters are used to determine the academic awards. All missing assignments, including test re-takes, must be completed, and turned in no to allow for teachers to grade them by the grade cutoff date listed below. Student grades in the portal on the cutoff date will be used to calculate student award eligibility.

• 6th & 7th Grades: Grade cutoff Friday, April 17th
• 8th Grade: Grade cutoff Friday, May 1st

Connections teachers and Language Arts teachers will receive an email from Alejandra with a link to enter student names.

• 6th Grade Honors Night: Monday, May 4th, 2026
• 7th Grade Honors Night: Thursday, May 7th, 2026
• 8th Grade Honors Night: Monday, May 18th, 2026

The University of Georgia’s Office of Undergraduate Admissions is excited to host a virtual program on Thursday, May 7th, 2026 from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM, designed to help students and families begin preparing early for high school and college.

This webinar is intended for current 8th grade students (rising 9th graders) and their parents/guardians who want to learn more about the transition from middle school to high school and the college admissions process.

Click here to register!

Volleyball Try-Outs

• May 4th-8th @ 4:30 - 6pm
• You must attend 2 of the first 3 days
• Open to All rising girls 6th, 7th and 8th grade
• A physical and Rank One must be completed in order to try-out

Join us as we celebrate the retirement of

Chris Tornese, Beverly Boucaud‑Taylor, and Carey McDurmon

📅 Date: May 21st

⏰ Time: 9:00 AM

📍 Location: Duluth Middle – Cafeteria

It's almost time for our spring book fair, come checkout the newest book titles! The Crane book fair will be in the media center from Friday April 17th - Friday April 24th. Cash, card, and tap to pay methods are all accepted.

Congratulations to the following students for completing our SEL spring reading challenge, they all received a free book of their choosing:

Ashley Zhu

Beckett Price

Braylon Rojas

Eliana Rios Ochoa

Gracia Akhuetie

Gradezza Ogbebor

Jefferson Mejia Romero

Lena Vu

Lythia Molina-Gallo

Melanie Ramon-Aragon

Mia Small

Oluwadarasimi Ademola

Talia Sapoznik

Yumi Robinson

Use DEPICT in your conversations with students. They can submit your sentences for Paw Points… if they’re paying attention.

Angel Aguilar Ballina

Jacob Barranco-Corona

Madison Butts

Cheyenne Challenger

Spencer Chen

Ximena Cipriano-Gallegos

Ernesto Cobas Diosdado

Kimberly Garcia Lopez

Ethan Garfias Rubio

Charlie Goodspeed

Sabrina Henao Hernandez

Dylan Jaguey Jimenez

Kyle Johnson

Da'sha Lee

Destiny Lepe

Valeria Moreno Orozco

Kevin Perez Espinosa

Families are invited to attend the Duluth Cluster Spring Spectacular—a fun, creative evening celebrating student work and family engagement across the cluster.

📅 Date: April 30, 2026

⏰ Time: 6:00–8:00 PM

📍 Location: Duluth High School 400 & 500 Buildings

Come & Enjoy:

• Artworks from each featured school
• Fun and creative family activities

This event is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate student creativity and connect with other Duluth Cluster families. We hope to see you there!

Attention GCPS Staff: We’re offering 10% off for all Gwinnett County Public Schools staff members, available Monday through Friday from 7:00 AM to 2:00 PM at Jam & Toast. Staff simply need to show their school ID or any kind of ID that shows they're with GCPS to receive the discount!

Please pick up a Birthday cupcake in the Cafe' at the end of the Month.

5 - Brenna Phillips

14 - Patrick Kellerman, Mickey Post

25 - Alexi Young-Park

30 - Rebekah Turner

Our Wildcats are shining as county leaders! Josey Jiminez recently completed Teachers as Leaders (TAL), Leni Harwell has been accepted into the 2026–2027 TAL cohort, and Jennifer Burley and Dr. Mark Turner were accepted into the 2026–2027 Coaching Endorsement program. We are also proud to share that Jennifer Burley has been selected to join the ITI Coach Leadership Council.

Congratulations to our 2026-27 Grade Chairs: 6th Grade Andy Hawkins, 7th Grade Michelle Moore, and 8th Grade Carrie Tominaga.

Even if you didn't record grades in the gradebook for AAP, you need to follow these directions by Noon, Friday, April 17th. All passing AAP students must have a 70 in the AAP gradebook.

AAP rostered students should fall under two scenarios.

1. Student failed AAP: In this instance, please email Chris Tornese immediately (only with the students' names that failed.)
2. Student attended AAP and passed: In this instance, the following actions must be taken in only the S2 gradebook for the AAP class! (This cannot wait until the end of the semester, since this data will be used to formulate summer school rosters. You will post this class later in the semester when you post your other class grades.)

Follow these instructions to process your gradebook.

1. Make sure "Class Marks" are toggled on. (Go to Options in your gradebook and toggle on Class Marks.)
2. Now go to your AAP section and hover over the student's grade under the "Mark" column, which will turn blue. Click on the student's grade.
3. Override the passing student's grade to a "70", regardless of the original passing grade. (The student received an "89", but it should be overridden to a "70".)
4. Under "Comment 1" choose a comment of "Grade changed due to AAP".
5. Make sure the pencil at the top right is green, changes are saved, then exit.
6. At the end of completing these steps, all passing grades should have been changed to 70s, and an email should be sent to Chris Tornese listing all the students that failed

Georgia DOE's March 2026 Teacher Connections is a publication focused on helping teachers finish the year strong with links to Inspire content collections from GaDOE content area teams and resources from GaDOE's Assessment and Accountability.

Hello Team,

I hope you’re doing well! I’m excited to share that I will be serving as the Assistant Principal for Summer Learning 2026 at Duluth Middle School, and I’m looking forward to working with many of you this summer.

As we begin planning, we are looking to gauge interest from teachers who may be interested in working summer school this year.

Here are a few key details:

📅 Dates: June 8 – June 26 (Holiday: June 19)

📍 Location: Duluth Middle School

⏰ Hours:

• Teacher Hours: 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM
• Student Hours: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
• AM Session: 9:00 – 11:45
• Lunch: 11:45 – 12:15
• PM Session: 12:15 – 3:00

Substitute Opportunities:

• Must be a GCPS teacher and attend the Bootcamp (TBD)
• $40 per hour
• As needed

Pay:

• $40 per hour
• Up to 16 total days (14 instructional days + 2 planning days)

Additional Key Dates:

• SEA Pre-Planning: June 1, 2026
• Boot Camp Professional Learning: Dates TBD

The district Summer Learning window runs June 8–June 26, with middle school student hours aligned to a full-day schedule.

If you are interested, please complete the interest form.

We would love to have you join us in supporting our students this summer!

Thank you for all that you do each day for students and the school community.