Dakota Minute

As we approach the final days of the school year, we want to share a heartfelt farewell to our departing Dakota Meadows 8th graders and a sincere thank you to all of our families for your incredible partnership this year. It has been a true privilege for us to watch our students grow, and we are so grateful for the support you’ve shown our school community throughout this journey. While we will deeply miss our 8th graders' leadership and spirit in our halls, we are incredibly proud to see them transition to Mankato West High School. We know they are ready to shine as Scarlets, and we wish all of our families a safe, wonderful summer and our graduates the very best as they begin this exciting new chapter.

Principal Hyer

DMMS Families- Please complete THIS survey to better help us and our PTA in regards to outdoor space here at DMMS. Thanks!

Do you have any high quality/resolution pictues of DMMS activities/students? We are looking for pictures that are high resolution to add to our walls for our displays and murals.

If you do, please email Jamie at dmms@isd77.org

Thanks!

As we wrap up another incredible school year, the PTA would like to thank our students, staff, families, and community for your support. Because of your fundraising, volunteering, and participation, we were able to support meaningful experiences and resources for our school this year, including:

• Water safety equipment for students in the new pool

• Field trips and enrichment opportunities

• Conference meals for teachers and staff

• Teacher, nurse, para, custodial, and staff appreciation events

• PBIS support and student activities

• Two school dances

• Hosted a book fair

• 12 new books and series for the media center

• Talent Show support

• Welcome Back Night

• First ever Polar Plunge

As we begin planning for next year, we are looking for a few more volunteers to help continue this momentum — especially:

• A PTA Treasurer

• Volunteers for the Outdoor Space Committee

The outdoor space project is an exciting opportunity to help create engaging spaces for students to learn, connect, and play. Whether you can volunteer a little or a lot, we would love your help.

If you are interested in getting involved or learning more, please message us or email the PTA ptadmms@gmail.com. Thank you for helping make our school community so special!

Sincerely,

Meghan Maes

DMMS PTA President

We have lots of lost and found! Please make sure to check our lost and found table outside the main office. Anything left after May 15th will be donated.

I know we are still in the midst of the sick season. If your student is not feeling well during the school day then they must go to the Health Office. Our Health Office will reach out to families if your student is not well enough to stay in school.

If your student reaches out to you to go home during the school day and it is not the Health Office contacting the parent/guardian, the absence will not be excused through our Attendance Office.

As a reminder, when calling the Attendance Line, please leave a detailed voicemail. Voicemails are checked often. We are not always able to answer the phone; as we we are helping other students and families.You can also email our Attendance Office at dmmsattendance@isd77.org

If you have any questions, please reach out myself or Assistant Principal Henderson

• Anytime your student is absent from school or if you plan on your student being absent from school, please call the office and leave a voicemail with your name, student’s name, grade and reason for absence.

• Verified reasons to excuse your student:

• Illness

• Religious Holidays

• Appointments (Doctor, Dentist, Therapy), Please provide documentation for appointments

• Vacation (5 Days)

• The attendance office can be reached by:

• calling (507)387-5077 Option 1; please leave a detailed message

• via email at: dmmsattendance@isd77.org

• If your student is marked absent for a class the system will send an automated courtesy call/email in the evening to remind you of the absence. All absences not excused within the 48 hour time window will remain unexcused.

• If your student is marked absent and you feel it was made in error, please have your student talk directly with their teacher.

We believe cell phones/electronics devices can cause distractions to the educational environment and our students deserve to learn in a postive environment that is free from avoidable distractions.

Two hour early releases will take place on the following dates:

May 13th.

Your student will start their day at the normal time of 8:35 am and be released at 1:25 pm. They will receive lunch prior to the 1:25 pm dismissal when buses leave the building. Students participating in varsity co-curriculars will need to go home, then return to practice at the designated practice time. There will be no middle school co-curricular practices on early release Wednesdays. All students need to ensure they have transportation home by 1:25 pm.

• As a reminder, please use Door 1 to pick up and drop off your student during the school day. For example, if your student is arriving late or leaving early due to an appointment or an event please pick up at Door 1. Door 1 is locatated in our middle parking lot by the main office. This is where our new secure entrance is located. Students should not be dropped off or picked up at door 1 before and after school unless approved by Principal Hyer or here for a before school event.
• Please use Door 8 (the cafeteria side parking lot) for pick up and drop off before and after school. We ask that families do not pick up and drop off at Door 1 unless approved by Principal Hyer.
• Door 27 (our pond side parking lot) is used for buses to pick up and drop off students.

• May 13th- Early Out

• May 14th & 15th-Device Pick Up

• May 14th- Spring Choir Concert

• May 15th- 6th Grade Field Day

• May 18th- Mahkato State Capitol Visit

• May 19th- Kasota State Capitol Visit

• May 20th- 8th Grade Field Trip

• May 20th- Last Day of School