Dr. Gloria Fernandez, Principal
601 Woodbury Rd. Orlando, FL 32828
Phone (407) 384-1555 Fax (407) 384-1580
Office Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 7:30 am - 4:30 pm
Discovery Middle is proud to be an Innovation School and Performing Arts Academy!
Explorer Weekly Update
October 29, 2021
Dear Explorer Families,
Congratulations to our boys and girls volleyball teams on their win against Legacy MS. On Monday, Nov. 1st our team will host Union Park MS and on Wednesday, we host Arbor Ridge. Volleyball matches on both Monday and Wednesday will start at 4:30 p.m. Boys will play first; followed by the Girls.
Join me for “Coffee Talk” on Tuesday, Nov. 2nd at 9:30 a.m. in the cafeteria.
We will host our next PTSA meeting on Thursday, November 4th in the Media Center at 4:30 p.m.
Parents, if your child needs medication during the day (prescription or over the counter) the clinic must have the appropriate paperwork completed. All medication forms are available on our school website.
The Health Hero Florida program will be offering flu vaccinations to all students on Nov. 18th at Discovery Middle School. Consent forms have been distributed to all students. If you would like your child to participate and receive their flu vaccination, please complete, sign and return the consent form to the school nurse, Mrs. Furman, as soon as possible. Forms need to be turned in by Nov. 15th. Consent forms are also available in the clinic and attached to this newsletter.
We will return to required face masks with a parental opt-out provision starting Monday, November 1. Parents or guardians can opt their child out of wearing a mask based on a signed note delivered to the school. We still have records and will honor any parental note provided to the school, previously.
We hope you enjoy the three-day weekend. We look forward to our students returning on Monday, November 1st.
Please assist your child in keeping up with assignments and checking Canvas for continuous updates on grades. Also, remind your children to charge their laptops Sunday evening.
Thank you for your continued support of Discovery Middle as we “Prevail in Excellence.”
11/1/21: Volleyball Game versus Union Park- Home @ 5 pm
11/1/21: Theater One Acts and IEs @ 6 pm in the Cafeteria
11/2/21: Theater One Acts and IEs @ 6 pm in the Cafeteria
11/3/21: Volleyball Game versus Arbor Ridge- Home @ 4:30 pm
11/4/21: PTSA Meeting @ 4:30 pm in the Media Center
11/4/21-11/6/21: Theater Districts
6th Grade ELA and Science are teaming up to conduct a science experiment to end their novel study for A Wrinkle In Time. Students will be conducting the experiment in their science class and then making observations in their ELA class that relates back to the book. If you would like to help donate some of the needed supplies the link below will bring you to an Amazon wish list that the teachers have set up.
Both Volleyball teams won against Legacy on Wednesday. We had a packed house for a very close Boys game that went to 3 sets. The match ended 15 to 13….Whew, that was close. The girls won in straight sets with good serving.
Next week we have home games Monday and Wednesday against Union Park and Arbor Ridge. Monday starts at 5:00 pm and Wednesday starts at 4:30 pm. Go Discovery!
The next PTSA meeting is on November 4th @ 4:30 pm in the Media Center.Parent Teacher Student Associations (PTSAs) provide youth members with the opportunity to make a difference by developing leadership skills, learning about the legislative process, increasing their self-esteem, and contributing to the school and community. In turn, adult PTSA members gain a new perspective for program development and youth leadership development and acquire a better understanding of the youth of today.
Joining PTSA does not mean you need to volunteer your time, certainly, if you have time we would love to have you volunteer. Joining PTSA is giving you and your student a voice and the ability to participate and help with student and teacher initiatives throughout the 2021-2022 school year. We would love for everyone to become a member and be an advocate for our students. Hope to see you on Thursday!
The School Advisory Council is a representative body of teachers, students, parents, support personnel, and community members who assist with the preparation and evaluation of the School Improvement Plan (SIP) and decide how school improvement funds will be spent. The SAC helps the school achieve its goals and increase student learning through the School Improvement process. As a member of SAC, you play an important part in representing our school community and are the voices in helping to better our school performance. We are the liaison for information and communication among students, families and staff at Discovery Middle School. We strive to engage families in the education process by:
● being a source of information and SUPPORT to parents
● WELCOMING new families
● provide a forum to discuss IDEAS and CONCERNS
SAC meetings will be held on the 3rd Thursday of each month at 4:30 p.m in the Media Center. The next meeting will be on November 18th.
Use your laptop only on a hard, flat surface such as a desk or table.
Carry your laptop in a bag or backpack.
Unplug your device when it is fully charged.
Keep your charger out of reach of young children and pets.
Carry your device with both hands if moving around during classroom instruction.
Don’t
Drop your device, even when in a bag or backpack.
Cover or block your device’s air vents when in use.
Use your devices near food or drink.
Pick the device up by the screen.
Use a liquid cleaner to clean the screen of the device.
Skyward is the OCPS adopted Student Information System (SIS) for parent and student access to grades. Instructions for creating a LaunchPad parent account are included below if you do not already have an account created to view student grades.
Below are instructions on how to become an observer on your student's canvas account. This will allow you to see the content and gradebook of the different courses.
It is important that we remain consistent in adhering to guidelines to help prevent the spread of COVID-19:
Face coverings are meant to protect other people in case the wearer is unknowingly infected but does not have symptoms.
Physical distancing also called “social distancing,” means keeping a safe space between yourself and other people who are not from your household.
Physical distancing combined with mask-wearing can help slow the spread of COVID-19.
Encourage alternate means of greeting expressions to assist with physical distancing and maintain separation (i.e. minimize gestures that promote close contact, discourage shaking hands, fist or elbow bumps, and hugging. Instead wave and verbally greet them.)
Handwashing is one of the best ways to protect yourself and your family from getting sick. After you have been in a public place and touched an item or surface that may be frequently touched by other people, such as door handles, tables, countertops, chairs, sinks, shared pens, elevator buttons, and microphones. Always wash or sanitize your hands before touching your eyes, nose, or mouth because that’s how germs enter our bodies.
Health monitoring and recognizing the signs and symptoms are crucial to help reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19.
People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposureto the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:
