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Feeder Elementary Schools: Blackwell, Chalker, Bells Ferry, Addison, Kincaid, Sedalia Park, Kennesaw Charter

Feeder High School: Sprayberry

 

 

       

 

 

 

 

Student Dismissal at 1:30 on Wednesday, May 23 and Thursday, May 24.


DMS Honors Night to Recognize Outstanding Student Achievement, Commitment, and Leadership

The 2012-2013 Honor's Night is approaching fast. The evening is an opportunity to recognize students in front of their parents for the outstanding commitment, leadership, and/or achievement demonstrated in a particular area throughout the year. Due to space, the evening is by invitation only. All students receiving an award will be given their invitation to attend the event. Parents will also be notified. The following is a list of the awards presented: Albert Coleman Jr. Award, Art Awards, Business Award, Technology Award, Outstanding Braodcast Club Member, Georgia Music Educator's Association District 12 Honor Band, Director's Award for Band, Georgia Music Educator's Association District 12 Honor Chorus, GME All State Chorus, Director's Award for Chorus, Cobb County Honor Orchestra, GMEA All State Orchestra Auditions, National Orchestra Award, Orchestra Director's Award, Foreign Language Awards, 6th Grade Character Awards, 7th Grade Character Awards, 8th Grade Character Awards, 8th Grade Citizenship Award, Honor of Progression Award, Perfect Attendance Award, Principal's Honor Roll Award, Honor Roll Award, CCSD Young Author's Award, ESOL Award, Geography Bee Award, waterSmart waterArt Awards, Academic Bowl Team Award, Outstanding Leadership Award, Outstanding Mathematics Award, Advanced Learning Program Academic Honor Awards, Duke University Talent ID Award, Student Forum Award, Eunice Thompson Community Service Award, Presidential Academic Award.


End of the Year Information from Principal Nelson

The 2011-2012 school year has been incredible for Daniell Middle School. Many of our students have been honored for their achievements in the community and at school. Likewise, the school has also been honored for many distinctions this year as listed in the "Kudos" section of the website. On behalf of the faculty and staff, I would like to thank you for your support and volunteerism of our wonderful school. However, school is not over yet. We still have much learning to do and many activities for our students to participate. To help our parents and guardians plan for the many activities, below is a list of important calendar dates. Please call the PTSA Welcome Desk to find out how you can volunteer to help with any of these events or call our main office with any questions you may have.

  • May 1st - Purple Out Day for Relay for Life, Elementary Feeder Schools Visit Campus

  • May 3rd - May 6th - Fine Arts Students Field Trip to Disney

  • May 4th - PTSA End of the Year Honor Roll Celebration Picnic and Last Day to Check Out Books in the Duncan Media Center

  • May 8th - 6:30 PTSA Meeting, 7:00 6th Grade Band Spring Concert

  • May 10th - 7:00 7th Grade Spring Band Concert

  • May 11th - 6:00-9:00 8th Grade Dance

  • May 14th - End of Course Test for Math I Students

  • May 15th - 2:45 Opening Ceremony for Olympics, 7:00 8th Grade Band Spring Concert

  • May 16th - Olympics during Connections, Students Take Personal Items Home from Lockers and Begin Locker Clean Out

  • May 17th - Olympics during Connections, 7:00 6th, 7th, and 8th Grade Spring Orchestra Concert

  • May 18th - Olympics during Connections, CRCT Re-Test in Reading, All Books Due in Duncan Media Center, 6:00-8:00 FCA Talent Show

  • May 21st - CRCT Re-Test in Math

  • May 22nd - 7:00 Honor's Night

  • May 23rd - Bell Schedule 5,7,3,2 and Dismissal at 1:30, Yearbook Distribution during Homeroom and Signing during Connections, 8th Grade Assembly in Theater

 

  • May 24th - Bell Schedule 1,4,3,6 and Dismissal at 1:30, Last Day of School, Yearbook Signing during Connections, 8th Grade Picnic

  • June 4th - Report Cards Mailed to Address on File at School


20th Annual 8th Grade PTSA Dance Headed Our Way

The 8th grade dance will be held May 11th from 6:00pm-9:00pm. This year's theme is "A Night in Paris". Admission price is $10.00 unless the PTSA activities packet was purchased at the beginning of the year. A list of students who purchased this packet will be available. However, students who purchased the activities packet still need to complete a permission slip. Permission slips will be sent home with students on Monday, April 30th. Completed permission slips must be turned in at the time of the ticket purchase. No tickets will be sold without a completed parental permission form. Lifetouch photographers will be available for pictures. Don't forget, tuxedos, limousines, and strapless dresses are not appropriate for the 8th grade dance. Dance tickets will not be sold at the door. Only 8th grade Daniell students may attend. Tickets are now available for purchase during 8th grade lunch until Thursday, May 10th. A parent reception will be held from 6:00-6:30 pm on the night of the dance. For more information about "A Night in Paris" or if you would like to volunteer to assist the PTSA with this event, please contact Melissa Hewitt, PTSA Membership Chair, at 770-363-2802.


Daniell Middle School is "No Place for Hate"

What will you find at Daniell this year? Respect, unity, and character. What else? No bullying, no name calling, and no offensive jokes. That’s because Daniell is no place for hate!

No Place for Hate is a program sponsored by the Anti-Defamation League, brought to Daniell by the PTSA, and strongly supported by our teachers and staff to foster respect between students and minimize or eliminate bias and bullying. Daniell is on our way to becoming the 1st middle school in Cobb County to be a No Place for Hate certified school!

All students were asked to sign a Resolution of Respect, pledging to make a difference by not ignoring hurtful words and actions of others, but instead to take responsibility for respecting the dignity and equality of everyone at our school. The Student Forum coordinated a heritage recognition in conjunction with the International Festival to recognize that we all come from somewhere – but we’re here at Daniell together.

What can you do to help Daniell be No Place for Hate? Talk to your student about how to deal with peer pressure, to stand up to bullies, and to treat everyone with respect, at our school and in our community. Together, we can ensure that Daniell Middle School is definitely No Place for Hate!

For more information on the No Place for Hate program at Daniell, contact DaniellPTSA@hotmail.com. For help with talking to kids about bullying, visit www.ADL.org/CombatBullying and CCSD's bullying resources.


Fourth Year Running: Daniell One of Cobb's Top Performing Middle Schools

The middle grade writing assessment scores have returned, and Daniell students had another outstanding year. Daniell was one of nine middle schools in Cobb which had more than 90% of students met or exceeded standards. More than 93% of Daniell students met or exceeded standards for 2012. Our students had an overall mean scale of 225 which was higher than the mean scale score of 220 for Metro RESA and Cobb District. In addition, our students had an overall mean scale score higher than the state mean scale score of 216. This is Daniell's fourth year in a row to be a part of the 90% club for the writing assessment.

The following Cobb County School District middle schools scored 90% or higher: Simpson 90, McClure 91, Durham 91, Daniell 93, McCleskey 95, Dodgen 96, Imagine Intl Acad of Smyrna 96, Mabry 96, Dickerson 97, and Hightower Trail 98.

Click here for the complete CCSD release.


Rising 6th Grade Night Scheduled for 5th Grade Students and Parents

April 16, 2012 at 6:30 pm, Daniell will host the Rising 6th Grade Parent Night for new families. Mark your calendars now for this exciting evening for your new student. Information will be provided about the PTSA, school clubs, 6th grade curriculum, and the middle school model. Feeder elementary schools will be distributing more information to incoming families. Please contact Misty Hawk, 6th grade counselor, or Dennette Wynn, PTSA President, for more information about this tranisitional meeting. Feeder elementary schools will have the opportunity to send their rising 5th graders to the campus during the school day on May 1. During this time, 5th graders will have the opportunity to tour the school and visit with current student leaders.


Daniell Student Recognized as #1 Writer Among All CCSD 8th Graders

Daniell Middle School is proud to announce that Isaiah Swann has been selected as the district-wide 8th grade winner of the Cobb County Writing Fair. Isaiah’s short story Dead End will now be entered in the statewide Young Georgia Authors’ Competition. Isaiah is the son of Jay and Elizabeth Swann.

Amy Cortez, Isaiah’s 8th grade Advanced Content Language Arts teacher, says of Isaiah, “I am so proud of Isaiah. This honor is well-deserved!” Isaiah will be honored at a reception with the other grade level district winners at 6:30 pm on April 16th at Lovinggood Middle School.


Daniell PTSA is a Model PTA

Georgia PTA 9th District recognized Daniell Middle School PTSA as a Model PTA! During the Spring Conference of PTAs from the largest district in Georgia, including PTAs from Cobb, Carroll, Douglas, Marietta, Paulding, Polk, and Haralson schools, Daniell was one of few middle schools singled out for achieving this certification. Georgia PTA defines a Model PTA as being one in good standing, providing a strong format and effective processes for parent engagements, advocacy, and partnership with the school community. Daniell PTSA is proud to be recognized for being a Model PTA!

Want to be part of the Daniell PTSA? It's not too late to join! Visit
www.DaniellPTSA.org to download a membership form or send in $5 per membership along with your name and contact information to the school. Questions? Contact us at DaniellPTSA@hotmail.com or by calling 678/594-8048.


Mrs. Gigantino's Reading Classes Celebrate Literacy the Dr. Seuss Way

Above: Mrs. Gigantino with Melanie G. and her edible, Dr. Seuss inspired marshmallow hats.

On Friday, March 2, 6th and 7th grade students in Mrs. Gigantino’s reading classes used Dr. Seuss’s birthday as an opportunity to both celebrate their literacy and language skills and share them in meaningful ways through a Dr. Seuss-inspired writing project. 

Many students include creative artwork in the margins and corners of everything that they turn in, but these ideas never get past this point. Mrs. Gigantino's project aimed to make the most of students’ natural tendencies to daydream and doodle by allowing them the opportunity to continue with these bursts of creativity and create imaginative worlds like those in the works of Dr. Seuss. Often, the most difficult part of creating an original piece of writing can be getting started. Her students used the methods of a famous author, Dr. Seuss, who said that many of his most famous stories (such as Horton Hatches the Egg) started out as doodles that he transformed with vivid illustration, inventive vocabulary, and his famous rhythmic rhyme patterns. The students all grew up listening to Dr. Seuss, so this style was very familiar and exciting to work with. The works of Dr. Seuss along with his prewriting methods became mentor texts for the students and they found that they could develop their ideas and allow their imaginations to run wild while also learning about rhyme scheme and other patterns in writing.

Melanie G. shared one of her edible Dr. Seuss inspired marshmallow hats with Principal Nelson. "Mrs. Gigantino's project is an excellent opportunity to help make learning fun for students," Nelson said. "The type of teaching and learning that occurs in classes like Mrs. Gigantino's helps make our students so successful in their learning." Over 96% of all the students at Daniell Middle School met or exceeded standards on their English Language Arts / Reading portion of the CRCT in 2011.


School Club and Organization Leaders Make Plan to Get More Students Involved

Members of the Principal's Advisory Board, a group of students made up of all the presidents and representatives of all the school clubs and organizations on the Daniell campus which meet with Principal Nelson every three to four weeks, decided at their last meeting to increase club awareness for the student body. The student leaders have made a plan to purchase banners to hang in the gym lobby showcasing all the clubs and organizations Daniell has to offer.

In addition, the students decided to name all the hallways in the school to help direct and guide incoming fifth graders and parents as well as current students. The students leaders are currently determining how the halls will be named.

Members of the Principal's Advisory Board have been actively involved in the school's advisement program. During the first semester the leaders went into 6th and 7th grade classrooms informing them about the importance of grades and providing them with tips on how to be successful in middle school.


Green Eggs and Ham Served to Celebrate Dr. Seuss' 108th Birthday

On Friday, March 2, Daniell students celebrated the 108th birthday of Dr. Seuss. To help recognize this day the cafe staff prepared a special feast for the student body. The menu included green eggs and ham and birthday cake. In additon to the special food, the cafe staff also decorated with balloons and table decorations. Angel McMahan, Cafe Manager of Daniell, said, " I am happy that the cafeteria can be part of a school-wide celebration recognizing Dr. Seuss." McMahan has been the cafeteria manager at Daniell for six years. In addition to decorating and celebrating Dr. Seuss' birthday, her staff also organizes many other special student lunches throughout the year on dates and events such as Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving, Valentine's Day, Cinco de Mayo, Fall Harvest, WinterFest, and a CRCT celebration. The cafeteria staff has won many Golden Achievement Awards which recognize top cafeteria teams within the district and has consistently scored 100% on their county health inspections.


8th Graders Experience Reality University

Daniell Middle School, in partnership with Communities in Schools, held the first Reality University for selected 8th grade students. Based on student survey, students were given a simulation where they were 26 years old and had a certain career and fixed salary. Students rotated between tables staffed with community and school volunteers where they purchased housing and paid for utilities, insurance, entertainment, groceries, etc. The purpose was for students to experience what their life may be like based on these factors. Students were surprised to learn that their salary for this simulation was based on their own grades.

According to the Georgia Department of Education, Communities in Schools, and the State of Georgia Office of the Governor, income greatly increases with education. According to their published work, a high school diploma earns an annual income of $28,631 compared to that of a person with a bachelors degree of $51,568. Mrs. Susan Debardeleben, coordinator of the School, Family, and Community Leadership Team at Daniell, planned the event with Meghan Wilson of   Communities and Schools. Mrs. Debardeleben said, "Students learn best by experiencing. This simulation has given them a view into the real world.


Robotics Team Visits General Electric Atlanta Headquarters

In February Daniell's Lego Robotics Team (State Championship Participants) went on a field trip to General Electrics main headquarters in Atlanta. Daniell has one team that is fully funded by GE. GE employees also help coaching and are making a large investment in education working towards the advancement in math, science, engineering and technology to introduce students of all ages and backgrounds to possibilities for their futures.

During the field trip, Daniell students demonstrated their robot and presented their project to the GE engineers. The professional engineers took time with students and were inquisitive about how their robots worked. The engineers were supportive of their efforts and took many questions from the students. Besides being able to show their own work, the students were able to watch other  teams manipulate their robots to do different tasks.

Student were also given a tour of the nerve center of General Electric building which monitors General Electric turbines that are in operation in power plants through out the world. At the end of the tour students were treated to an array of finger foods which was almost as big a hit as the robots they saw.

Mr. Jim Hawlk, sponsor of the Daniell Robotics Team, said, "Our students represented Daniell Middle School very well, and I feel that our relationship with our sponsor also increased. As a matter of fact we will be recipients of a laptop computer that we can take to competitions loaded with our programing matrix and a new brain for our robots." Mr. Hawlk stated, "...I think it (this event) is one of those moments that can't be taught in the classroom, and may be a major influence in a students future and life endeavors." The Dolphin Droids won the 2012 Georgia First Lego League Super Regional Innovation and Strategy First Place Award.


Construction Crews Break Ground on Campus Renovations

 

Construction has started at our school! SPLOST III renovation and construction projects began in January, 2012 and will continue throughout the summer. We hope our growth pains will be small, but know that any inconvenience will be worth it in the long run. With an enlarged and renovated cafeteria, new ceilings in most of the building, new bus canopies, and 250 parking spaces, the SPLOST III projects will only continue to update and improve our learning facilities.

To view the latest information about the SPLOST projects slated for Daniell Middle School or any other Cobb County School District site, please visit this link: www.ccsdsplostprojects.org


Science Olympiad Makes Presence Known

The regional science olympiad competition was held Saturday, February 25, 2012, at Alpharetta High School. Team Daniell did an excellent job!  Daniell students earned medals in 7 different events! The A Team place 9th overall.


Since September the Science Olympiad team has met after school on Wednesdays to study, practice and prepare for their events.  The entire team of 28 students worked hard yet had fun! Good Job students!  The coaches for Science Olympiad are Mrs. Hebb and Mrs. Arrington.  Valuable technical assistance was given by our Robotics Coach Mr. Hawlk.


New Saturday School Program Offers Students Opportunities to Enhance Skills

New 6th grade administrator, Marianne Mitchell, has coordinated a Saturday school program for students to enhance their academic skills in preparation for the CRCT. The program is being offered to students on four dates. So far, the program has served over 100 students each week. The remaining dates for the program are March 3 and March 10. The program starts promptly at 9:00 am and ends at 10:30 am.

"The students are enjoying being here. They are on task, and the time goes fast. The teachers feel that they are really making an impact," Mrs. Mitchell stated. Students are exposed to content in math and language arts for grades 6, 7, and 8. Instruction is more hands on and directed at the specific areas of need. The goal of the program is to build student confidence in their studies and to provide readiness for the CRCT.


Daniell Pilots New Math Program for CCSD

To help students with disabilities who have a need to improve foundational math skills, Daniell Middle School has adopted and is part of a small group of schools that is piloting the TransMath Program.

TransMath is a research based program which identifies students current level of understanding and provides students a different approach to learning material that creates challenges in their current math classes. If you would like to learn more about the TransMath Program, please contact Mrs. Marianne Mitchell.


Jayne Jones Duncan Media Center Opens Before School to Serve Students

Above: A portion of the mural which depicts part of the history of Cobb County and Judge Daniell.

Be sure to visit Mrs. Harris' blog to see the latest information about the media center. You can also obtain information about Lexiles, new materials, and online resources available for your child.

Times available for student use

Monday through Friday

8:00 am - 4:15 pm

At 8:00 am students can use the media center to work on classroom assignments, check out a book, or practice on USA TestPrep. To take advantage of the early morning hours, students need to obtain a pass from the teacher on duty in the theater for the particular day they want to visit.

Below: The mural in the media center depicting an iconic pictural of George Washington during the American Revolution.


FYI: Keeping You Informed

Click here for the latest edition of our Daniell Details Newsletter(March)

Daniell Family Fun Night at Monster Mini-Golf is the 1st Tuesday of every month. Click here for more information!

Local PTAs & Cobb Alcohol Taskforce Partner to Arm Cobb County Parents with tools to prevent underage drinking-Click here for more information!

Parents, Guests and Staff:
 
The CCSD Department of Public Safety has advised us on the use of fire lanes.  The goal is to provide a safe school and prevent individual citations by the Office of the Fire Marshall or the Cobb County Police Department.
 
Per the Fire Marshall's Office, no one is allowed to park in a Fire Lane, whether there is a driver in the vehicle or not, at any time other than the following:
  • 30 minutes prior to the end of the school day and 30 minutes after the end of the school day (this does not include the After School Program nor any other activity at the school)
  • Passengers actively loading or unloading during the day (this would cover students unloading in the morning at the beginning of the school day)

VOLUNTEERS WANTED!

To learn how you can take an active role at our school, please call us at 679-594-8048 to speak with our PTSA Welcome Desk. From bulletin boards and dances, to tutoring and honor roll celebrations, we want you on our campus. We need your help to make sure our students receive the best, most competive education possible.

If all our parents and guardians volunteered just one hour, we would have over 2,700 volunteer hours to help make our school a better place for our kids. Call us today to find out how you can help our school!


Lost and Found

When students misplace personal items throughout the school, those items make their way to Lost and Found located across from the boys locker room.  If the items are eye glasses, electronics, or purses, they are stored in the front office.  Our hope is that the items will be claimed by their rightful owners.  Items not retrieved by the end of each quarter will be given to charity.  Future dates for removal this school year are the following:  May 24.


CCSD FY2013 Budget Information
Click here for more information




Calendar of Events for
Daniell Middle School
and Our District

Click here for Traditional Calendar View


Add the CCSD Calendar to your personal Google Calendar by clicking on the "+" button above.




Student Advisement Dates
Sept. 21, Dec. 2, Jan. 13, Feb. 17, Apr. 30
 
During advisement, students meet with their teacher advisor (3rd period teacher) to set academic goals for the year and monitor and chart their progress to achieving their goals.

Progress Report Dates

Sept. 21, Dec. 2, Feb. 17, Apr. 30
 
*Progress reports are sent home with students during the middle of each nine week grading period.
 
Report Card Dates

Oct. 24-28 (distributed to parents and guardians during parent/teacher conference week),
Jan. 13 (sent home with students)
Mar. 21 (sent home with students)
June 4 (mailed home)
 
Don't forget, parents and guardians can always monitor their child's academic progress through Pinnacle. For questions about Pinnacle or troubleshooting, please contact Mrs. Barbara Woods, school clerk. By using Pinnacle, parents and guardians can always be aware of grades and can even sign up to receive email alerts if their student's grades fall below a pre-determined score.

Georgia School of Excellence


Accredited by

Member of

Association for Middle Level Education (AMLE)


2011 CRCT

School-Wide Results

English Language Arts/Reading

96.3%

Math

89.2%

8th GRADE WRITING

94%


 

Daniell Middle School

a part of the Cobb County School District,
the 26th largest school district in the United States,
where our focus on


LEADERSHIP,  ACHIEVEMENT,
and COMMITMENT


continue to make our school a place of

community tradition. community pride.



2011-2012 Teacher of the Year

Mrs. Kerri Hirsch

2011-2012 Classified Employee  of the Year

Mrs. Debbie Mauldin


Daniell Gives Back

hoops logo

Faculty and students raised over $4000.00 for the American Heart Association in February of 2012. Thank you to Mrs. Cockrell for organizing the event for the school.

Keybuilder's Club collected 1,504 canned food items to support The Center for Family Resources. The November collection was part of an overall campaign that provided enough food for 1500 families through the center.


Campus Kudos

  • Advanced Placement Certified School
  • Safe Routes to School
  • Clean Air School
  • Reality University Site
  • 2012 Georgia First Lego League Super Regional Innovation and Strategy  First Place Award
  • 2012 Georgia First Lego League Championship Tournament Competitors
  • 2012 PTSA Oak Tree Membership Award
  • 2012 PTSA Visionary Award
  • 2012 PTSA Plus 2 Membership Award
  • 2012 Participant of the National Assessment of Educational Progress
  • 2011-2012 Family Dollar Gr8 Schools Award
  • 2011-2012 No Place for Hate   Certified School

About Our Learning Community

Mission:

At Daniell Middle School we embrace diversity, set high expectations, and develop life-long learners prepared to accept responsibility as future leaders. We are prepared to work collaboratively with colleagues, students, and parents to make our vision a reality.

Vision:

Our vision is to create a safe, collaborative environment that results in students successfully meeting high standards, respecting differences, and initiating creative problem solving to establish a foundation for high school success.

Beliefs:

To be successful in a high school setting, we believe:

  • Students should learn to their full potential
  • Students should be actively participating in their learning
  • Students should demonstrate responsibility by constructively resolving conflicts
  • Students should develop technology skills
  • Students should participate in a variety of learning experiences that promote high expectations through varied instructional strategies
  • Students should develop problem-solving skills
  • Students should thrive in a safe environment
  • Students, teachers, administrators, parents, and the community should work together collaboratively

 

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