1. T O P 1 0 T H I N G S Y O U N E E D T O K N O W B E F O R E
Y O U S T A R T M I D D L E S C H O O L
Starting Over

2. #1 GET READY, GAME ON
 Middle School moves fast! You will have multiple
classes, 6 different teachers, and many things to
juggle everyday…..be prepared and stay on top of
your grades and work each day.
 “We didn’t have any homework today..” while this
could be true, there is always something that you can
do to prepare for the next day of instruction.
 Organize, Review/Study, Projects…..

3. #2 GET ORGANIZED EARLY
 Cubbies are gone! Now you have lockers.
 Get your supplies and organize yourself as directed
by your Team Teachers ASAP!
 Keep it neat, Keep it clean, Keep it organized…..when
you don’t have anything else to do, you can always
clean your binders and review completed work.
 Have a quiet space at home to do homework and
study.
 Supplies at home can help….hole puncher, pencil
sharpener, paper…

4. #3 GRADES
 Next big change….letter grades!
 Test and quizzes are VERY important, they count
more than anything else.
 Do the math, a failing grade is very powerful….it is
better to turn something in than to turn in nothing at
all.
 SPAN: Use it to keep track of grades.
 If you complete the work then you deserve to receive
credit for your time and efforts. TURN IT IN!!!

5. # 4 LOCKERS
 We will give you a lock for your locker. You must use
a school issued lock. You will need to buy a lock for
your PE locker.
 If you buy a shelf for your locker, make it the tall one.
If it is too short, your books will not fit under it.
 If you love it, lock it up!!

6. #5 AGENDAS
 Use your agenda daily. It is your lifeline to staying on top
of your assignments, planning what you need to do, pass
to classes/bathroom, and it is a communication tool for
Teachers and Parents.
 Write in your agenda everyday….write none if you don’t
have any homework to stay in the habit of writing your
assignments.
 With 6 classes……you can’t remember everything! Don’t
Try It! Many have come before you and failed at
this….trust us, we know!
 ONLY THE FIRST ONE IS FREE…IF YOU LOSE
IT, IT WILL COST $ TO GET A REPLACEMENT!

7. #6 DRESS CODE
 Know it, love it, follow it…..WE DO!
 We give students a week to learn and then we
enforce.
 Girls….get a 4/6 index card or a dollar bill
and take it shopping.
 Boys….get a belt. No sagging pants allowed!
 Students who have inappropriate clothing are
offered a chance to change, call someone to bring
more clothes, or can spend the day in ALC.

8. #7 PLAN AHEAD
 Plan ahead…..don’t wait until the last minute or the
end of the quarter to complete assignments. -
 Teachers will usually inform students at least a week
out of a major assignment (test or project).
 Students must make a "plan of attack" for that
work. Leaving it to the last minute is just not good
enough.
 This is where using available lunch time to work is
crucial too.

9. CAFETERIA
 Cafeteria seating – teams are assigned seats early on
to monitor behaviors and maintain an orderly
environment.
 You may not always get to sit with your friends.
 Take this time to get to know your teammates and
build new relationships.
 We keep our cafeteria clean!!!!

10. COLLABORATION
 Students will have to work in collaborative teams
(small groups) in all classes.
 Seats are organized in each classroom with usually 4-
6 students.
 Being able to work collaboratively with others is part
of the instructional environment in middle school.
 EVERYONE works, communicates…..and shares the
responsibility of getting the assigned task completed!

11. DRMS PRIDE
 Embrace the DRMS spirit!
 We take great pride in our school and we like to have
fun too.
 Take advantage of participating in as many activities
as you can manage….