From the Desk of the Middle School Director - 1

This is the first of a series of monthly messages to parents that outline what's going on at the Middle School. These messages are designed to help parents feel connected to our students, teachers and programs. I hope you will find this helpful and encouraging as we join together to help your child(ren) have a wonderful Middle School experience.

The school year has gotten off to a wonderful start! Typically, the first couple of weeks of school are usually fanatical, as students and teachers work together to establish a normal routine and expectations of life at the Middle School. Again this year, we are offering cereal to students who want breakfast but are not arriving early enough to take advantage of a hot meal at the Upper School dining hall. (Students wishing to have breakfast at the Upper School should arrive no later than 7:30 a.m.)

Please keep in mind that flagpole starts at 7:50 a.m. Though students are not required to attend flagpole, we encourage their participation as this has become a time-honored Middle School tradition. During this time, we make announcements; sing “Happy Birthday” to students celebrating birthdays; pledge to be honorable and treat others with kindness and respect; and last, join voices in honoring America by saying the Pledge of Allegiance. Students aren’t considered tardy until 8:04 a.m. After this time, we ask that you walk your child(ren) into the building and sign in.

Our school-wide assemblies on Wednesdays have become an integral part of our efforts to have students live by Darlington’s newly adopted Mission Statement: “To learn with passion, act with integrity, and serve with respect.” Please feel free to stop by on Wednesdays at 11:05 a.m. to witness the wonderful programs we and our students have put together.

For the second year, the Middle School faculty is involved in a book study. This year, we are reading Peter Gow’s “The Intentional Teacher: Forging a Great Career in the Independent Classroom.” This is a fascinating book for any teacher, especially those in the independent school setting. We all know that the Middle School years are an unpredictable but fascinating time in their lives. I’ll forward more to you as we move through the book as a faculty.

We recently held our first student council election. Eighth-grader Abraham Johnson will serve as president with classmate Jazlyn Green as vice president and sixth-grader Herren Burgess as scribe. Other Tiger Council members will be selected from their advisee group. I’ll forward those names once they are finalized. This group will meet with me monthly to discuss ways to improve our school. I look forward to the progress we will make together.

The Tiger Way student handbook is an excellent resource that will help you learn more about Darlington. Click here to access the publication exclusively online and view (or review, for those who have been with us awhile!) our policies and procedures. Recently, we have noticed that several students are not adhering to our policy on skirt length. The Tiger Way states:

Skirts
Regulation khaki skirt or skort, plaid skirt or skort, or plaid kilt. Skirts and skorts should be no shorter than three inches above the crease on the back of the knee. Skirts altered above the specified height will not be permitted. Privacy shorts or Soffees are required under skirts.

We appreciate your cooperation in making sure your child(ren) are abiding by the policy before they leave home. Again, I hope all is well, and I look forward to building a partnership with you.