Dear House of Dragons Community,

We are writing to you today with a deep sense of pride and excitement about the powerful strides we are making together at Denn John Middle School.

For too long, our school’s narrative has been defined by past performance. I want you to know that a new story is being written right now—a story of dedication, breakthrough, and achievement. Our students and staff are demonstrating remarkable resilience and commitment, and we are seeing the tangible results of this hard work in our classrooms every single day. We are moving forward, and our momentum is undeniable!

Your Child’s Progress: Let’s Partner Up

As we enter the third week of the second quarter, we are at a critical point for student success. The foundation for the quarter has been laid, and now is the perfect time for you to take an active role in monitoring your child's progress.

We know that student achievement is highest when the school and home work as one unified team. This is not just our challenge—it is our shared opportunity.

Your mission this week is simple and powerful:

Reach Out to Your Child’s Teachers: Please contact each of your child's teachers to get a brief, personal update on their current academic standing. Ask:

Your support, presence, and interest are the final, essential ingredients we need to transform our school. Let’s finish this quarter strong and keep building on our success.

With F.I.R.E & Gratitude, 

-Administration

At DJMS, Learning is Required! Our school-wide system ensures that every student remains engaged and takes responsibility for their learning. Below is a quick overview of our Learning is Required Procedures that teachers and staff use to support students who may lose focus in class.

Teachers will inquire why a student is not interested in learning for the day and document the rationale in Focus. The student will be reminded of our F.I.R.E. expectations, and parents/guardians will be contacted. It’s best practice for the student to be present when the phone call occurs.

The teacher will review F.I.R.E. expectations with the student, submit a discipline referral, and the student will receive lunch detention for failing to meet the “Learning is Required” expectation.

Teachers will again review F.I.R.E. expectations and bring the concern to the monthly grade-level meeting. Up to twelve students may be referred monthly for Failure to Learn is Required Conferences, where administration will meet with students to create a plan for improvement. MTSS support will also be provided as needed.

Let’s continue reinforcing that learning is not optional—learning is required!

We are noticing an increase in dress code violations, specifically our females' students are wearing skirts and shorts that are not finger-tip length.

To check these at home

Also, bike shorts and joggers are not allowed at any time. The only exception is a paid dress-down day for leggings and joggers.

Slides may not ever be worn as this is a safety concern. Crocs can only be worn on a paid dress-down day.

Also, it is important that our male students' undergarments must not be viewable at all times per the Student Code of Conduct. Please ensure if the pants are loose, please have them wear a belt.

We need your help! A new TikTok trend has emerged showing students how to create “dart airplanes” using thumbtacks, nails, staples, chewing gum, and Post-It notes. After constructing these darts, students are throwing them onto ceiling tiles. Because these objects have sharp ends, they pose a serious safety risk to our students and staff.

Please be advised that any student found purposefully or knowingly making these darts will face disciplinary consequences in accordance with the SDOC Code of Student Conduct, which may include expulsion.

To prevent access to materials that could be used in this manner, DJMS staff members have been instructed not to provide Post-It notes, thumbtacks, or staples to students under any circumstances.

We kindly ask that you speak with your child about the importance of school safety and maintaining a positive learning environment. Your support in reinforcing this message at home makes a tremendous difference.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me at Marc.Hernandez@osceolaschools.net.

We are excited to share that 115 of our 6th grade students have qualified to attend the upcoming Osceola Magic basketball game field trip! This special event is a celebration of students who have demonstrated outstanding behavior and attendance during the first quarter—specifically, those with no disciplinary referrals and fewer than two unexcused absences.

To ensure every eligible student has the opportunity to participate, Mr. Booker has extended the deadline to submit permission slips to Friday, November 1st. Currently, we are still missing over 40 permission slips.

Please remind your child that they can pick up a new permission slip during lunch if needed. This field trip is completely free, and lunch will be provided.

Thank you for your continued support in recognizing and celebrating our students’ achievements!

Warm regards,

Rafael Booker

rafael.booker@osceolaschools.net

At DJMS, we promise to do our job teaching your child the academic foundations — math, science, social studies, arts, literacy, and technology. However, true success requires a partnership between school and home.

We kindly ask for your support in teaching and reinforcing the values, morals, and intrinsic motivation that help students thrive. When children understand that their parents believe in them, check in on their progress, and hold them accountable for their school performance, they are far more likely to rise to the occasion.

Together, we can ensure that every student not only learns but grows into a motivated, responsible, and resilient learner. We need this partnership now more than ever — and we are grateful for your continued support!

We would like to inform you that our Credit Recovery program will begin on Monday, October 27. This program provides a valuable opportunity for students who did not pass one or more of their core academic subjects—Math, Social Studies, Science, or Language Arts—to recover credits during the school year.

Due to recent budget cuts, summer school will not be available this year, making it especially important for students to take full advantage of this in-school opportunity to stay on track for promotion.

Mr. Franceschi distributed letters to all eligible students on Friday, October 24. If your child received a letter, they will begin attending Credit Recovery starting Monday, Oct. 27th.

If you have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact Mr. Franceschi at frankie.franceschi@osceolaschools.net.

At Denn John Middle School, we believe that positive behaviors should be recognized and celebrated. That’s why we use the PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) framework to help students grow not only academically, but also socially and emotionally.

Our PBIS values are represented by F.I.R.E.:

Students are rewarded with Dragon Dollars when they show these values in action. Each month, students can use their Dragon Dollars to participate in exciting school events and activities. This not only motivates students but also reinforces the importance of good behavior and strong character.

Thank you, parents, for supporting us in encouraging students to live out our values each day! Together, we are building a school culture where #LearningIsRequired and Dragons thrive.

Parents can support our school this week by helping students understand the importance of intrinsic motivation—the drive to do their best even when things get tough or when schoolwork feels less exciting. True success happens when students push through challenges and stay committed to learning, no matter the subject or difficulty.

Please remind your child that they are responsible for mastering grade-level standards that prepare them for success well beyond the K–12 system. When students try their best and give consistent effort, maximum results follow—and this is what separates an “A” school from the rest.

At the heart of DJMS, we believe every student has equal potential to succeed and will rise to excellence when they believe they can. Let’s work together to build that belief and empower our students to keep moving forward!