The Panther Pride Newsletter
I hope everyone had a good weekend and was able to spend time with family and friends.
Please see below for a few friendly reminders:
Third Marking Period Interim Grades
Please continue checking in with your son or daughter about their academic progress and how they are feeling about their classes. Interim reports will be available in Infinite Campus on Monday, March 9, 2026.
Inclusion & Literacy Spirit Week (March 2 – March 6)
This week, we will celebrate reading, belonging, and leadership through daily spirit themes. Please help promote participation by encouraging your scholars to follow the daily themes (flyer attached).
- Monday, March 2 – Read Across America Day
Dress as your favorite book character or wear comfy reading clothes; bring a favorite book to share. - Tuesday, March 3 – Reading Superhero Day
Dress like a superhero or wear shirts with words, quotes, or book titles. - Wednesday, March 4 – Inclusion Day
Wear YELLOW or an inclusion shirt to celebrate acceptance, kindness, and neurodiversity. - Thursday, March 5 – Stories Unite Us
Wear rainbow colors or tie-dye; celebrate diverse voices and experiences. - Friday, March 6 – International Women’s Day
Wear PURPLE or empowerment colors; celebrate strong leaders and changemakers.
Family Literacy Night
- Date: Thursday, March 5
- Time: 5:30 PM –7:30 PM (with raffles, games, and dinner following)
- Registration is required, and students MUST be accompanied by a parent/guardian.
- Family Literacy Night Registration
This is a great opportunity to engage students in literacy while showcasing the amazing work happening at P.S. duPont. There will be interactive activities, games, and raffles throughout the evening. 🎟️ Raffles include gift cards, games, books, and a Dell tablet, swag bags!!
This Week at a Glance
- Monday, 3/2 – 7 Day (Periods 7-5)
- Tuesday, 3/3 – 6 Day (Periods 6-4)
- Wednesday, 3/4 – 5 Day (Periods 5-3)
- Thursday, 3/5 – 4 Day (Periods 4-2)
- Friday, 3/6 – 3 Day (periods 3-1)
Our Panthers have been hitting the books! Based on circulation numbers from last year, this year’s goal for books borrowed was 1,500. Our students blew past that goal before the end of Marking Period 2! As of February 27, our students have borrowed 2,036 books! This is more than double the number of books borrowed over the same period of time last school year.
Marking Period 3 has seen classes come to the library for lessons and practice with research by using online databases and books. By visiting the library on their own and with classes, students are investing the time to become stronger readers, critical thinkers, and lifelong learners. Mrs. Rumanov is thrilled to see how much our students have grown to love visiting the library.
P.S. duPont Middle School proudly congratulates several talented student musicians who have earned acceptance into the prestigious Delaware All-State Orchestra. After auditioning on January 10, these students demonstrated exceptional musical skill and dedication, securing their placement among the state’s top young performers.
This year’s honorees include Angela Hui (Viola), Simon McGuire (Double Bass), Elliot Del Rosso (Double Bass), Matthew Kang (Cello), and Milena Moras (Violin). Although Matthew Kang successfully placed, he will be unable to participate in the festival due to a scheduling conflict.
Selected students will take part in the Delaware All-State Orchestra Festival, held February 19–21 at Louis L. Redding Middle School. The event culminates in a final concert performance on February 21 at 3:00 PM, showcasing the remarkable talent of student musicians from across the state.
We commend these students for their hard work, commitment, and musical excellence. Their achievement reflects both their individual dedication and the strength of P.S. duPont’s music program. Congratulations to all! 🎻
This is P.S. duPont’s second year participating in the Youth in City Government Program sponsored by the Wilmington City Parks and Recreation Department. The program’s goal is to encourage civic engagement among students who are directly affected by Wilmington City Council policies. This year, seven schools are represented, with P.S. duPont as one of the few public schools participating. Other participating schools include Kuumba, Thomas Edison, Saint Elizabeth, Gateway, Bayard, and Pritchett.
Students in grades 4–6 take part in a mock city council election that unfolds in several stages. First, interested students volunteer for this extracurricular opportunity, are assigned to a political party, and write a persuasive speech about a change they would like to see in their school or community. Topics presented by our students included school lunch quality, neighborhood speed limits, cell phone use in school, and the district’s walker/bus rider policy.
February 12, P.S duPont Middle School National Party students presented their speeches to fellow candidates from the other schools for Council Person At-Large A, B, C, and D, as well as for Mayor, City Council President, and Treasurer. Mrs. Johnson’s students presented on Thursday, February 19 as representatives of the Patriot Party. Each party selects its representatives, and the winners are invited back to record their speeches. These recordings are then shared with students at each participating school, where they cast their votes using official voting machines to elect the final mock city council. The final winners will spend a full day with city council members while touring the local Police station, Fire station, and city county building followed by a celebratory dinner and awards ceremony in May.
We also want to recognize the adults who helped make this experience possible. Mrs. McKenna serves as our liaison with the city and organized the program both last year and this year. Mrs. Johnson and Ms. Stafford each assembled a team to represent P.S. duPont. Our school community is incredibly proud of all our students for their effort, courage, and dedication.
Each month at P.S. duPont Middle School, 8th graders who demonstrate the qualities of strong student leaders are recognized at lunch, awarded a P.S. duPont Middle School “STUDENT” t-shirt, and featured in our bi-weekly newsletter. These students excel both academically and behaviorally, set a positive example for their peers, and maximize learning opportunities in and out of the classroom. Character traits such as caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility are just a few of the qualities this month’s student leaders model each day. February’s Student Leaders are (from left to right): Ah'siyah Scott,
Sariyah Johnson, Taryn Patterson, , Abdiel Aragon Torres, Collin Mills, Jackson Molnar, Ting Callahan, and Aram Yahhoobian.
We are extremely proud of our Student Leaders and their accomplishments as they continue to build a pathway toward success in high school and beyond. Congratulations, Student Leaders!
Thank you to all of our parents and guardians who attended our most recent 8th Grade Formal planning session! Your time, ideas, and willingness to support our students truly make a difference. The excitement is building, and students will be voting on their 8th grade formal theme this week — we can’t wait to share the results! Our next planning meeting will take place on March 19th at 6:00 PM, and we welcome anyone who would like to get involved as we continue organizing this special milestone event for our students.
In addition, our next Staff Appreciation event will be held on March 17th. This is a wonderful opportunity to show our gratitude to the teachers and staff who go above and beyond for our students every day. Please consider signing up through our Sign Up Genius to contribute an item, or you may choose to donate funds and we will gladly handle the shopping on your behalf.
Thank you for partnering with us to celebrate our students and to make sure our teachers feel valued and appreciated. Our school community is stronger because of you!
Thank you to all of our families who joined us for Family Bingo Night! It was a fantastic evening filled with laughter, excitement, and a little friendly competition. We gave away tons of great prizes, and students and families enjoyed plenty of pizza and slushies while cheering each other on between rounds. Events like this truly highlight the strength of our P.S. community and the importance of coming together beyond the school day.
We’re excited to keep the momentum going! Our next event will be the Spring Dance on March 19th after school until 4:30 PM. Students can look forward to music, time with friends, and a fun way to celebrate the season together. Tickets will be on sale soon for $5 — stay tuned for more details! We hope to see another great turnout as we continue building positive experiences for our students.
GoGuardian Parent is a companion app designed to help parents and guardians stay informed about their child's online activity on school-issued devices. It provides insights into the websites their child visits, the apps they use, and the amount of time spent online during school hours. The app also allows parents to schedule internet access and block specific websites on managed devices outside of school hours, promoting healthy digital habits and responsible technology use. With GoGuardian Parent, families can work alongside schools to ensure a safe and focused online learning environment for students. See that attachment listed below to install the APP onto your phone, iPad, or laptop.
See the information below for the upcoming Parent Council Meetings via Class Dojo:
- Location: Mount Pleasant Elementary Multipurpose Room
- Time: 5:30–6:30 p.m. Childcare and snacks provided for families
- Dates: 3/9, 5/11
- Parent Council Flyer LINK Zoom Meeting ID: 993 5096 2972
- Password: 911784
Looking for a fun way to show your pride? Our P.S. duPont Spirit Wear is the perfect way to celebrate being part of the Tiger family. From comfortable tees to cozy hoodies, you’ll find something that’s both stylish and school-ready. Show your school spirit by purchasing some cool P.S. duPont Spirit Wear!!! Don’t miss your chance to gear up and represent our school with pride all year long!
Follow these links to purchase items!
PS DuPont Middle School’s Title I Program exists to provide supplemental services for low-achieving and Limited English Proficient students until they can meet and exceed the standards set forth by the state. The Title I program aims to improve academic achievement and implement all statutory requirements. The Title I Parent Involvement goal is to plan and conduct programs, activities, and procedures that increase parental involvement with the meaningful consultation of parents. This policy provides opportunities for the full participation of parents and community members to ensure a meaningful partnership. Please see the attached documents below, offered in both English and Spanish to learn about the Brandywine School District's plan to deliver services to our student population at P.S. duPont Middle School.
Emergency Cards
Please fill out and sign your gray emergency card and return it to the nurses. If you need an extra copy you can get one from the main office or nurses office. A new emergency card is required to be on file each school year. You can not receive medication without a current emergency card on file.
DIAA Forms
If you plan to try out for a sport at PS please turn your DIAA form into the nurses office.
A Delaware DIAA form is required to be on file, each school year, before a student attends sports try outs. DIAA forms are available in the main office and nurses office or through the DIAA website:
DIAA Form - Click Here
Any questions please reach out:
Laura.DeMare@bsd.k12.de.us
Lauren.Foraker@bsd.k12.de.us
- March 19th - Spring Incentive Dance
- March 19th - PTA Meeting
- March 20th - No School - Eid al- Fitr
- March 26th - End of the 3rd MP
- March 27th - No school - Professional Responsibilities Day
- April 3rd-10th - No School - Spring Break