Dear House of Dragons Community,

Welcome to 2026, and Happy New Year! We are excited to begin a hopeful year filled with opportunity and optimism. This year, DJMS is committed to reaching its professional goals and elevating to a “B” school status.

We hope that during Winter Break, all students and families had time to rest, reconnect with loved ones, and remain safe. As we return, we want to share several important reminders and expectations.

This upcoming week marks the final week of Semester 1, which concludes on Thursday, January 8, 2026. Please ensure that your child completes all missing assignments and projects as outlined by their teachers so they can finish the semester strong.

In addition, DJMS needs your support regarding Mathia completion. Mathia is a required component of our math curriculum, and by this point in the school year, students should be at 50% syllabus completion. Currently, DJMS is averaging approximately 25%, which is not acceptable. As a result, all students have been informed that they must reach a minimum of 30% completion by Thursday, January 8, 2026. Students who do not meet this expectation will receive documented consequences, which will be handled by Mr. Hernandez.

This week is dedicated to closing out the first semester smoothly while preparing for the work ahead. Quarter 3 begins on Monday, January 12, 2026, and it will be the most critical period of the school year. DJMS has updated its School Improvement Plan to better reflect current student needs, and we will be closely monitoring attendance, behavior, and academic performance.

In some cases, DJMS will schedule “Learning Is Required” parent conferences to ensure students are aligned and supported for academic success. Reaching our goal of B-status will require a strong partnership between school and home—DJMS cannot do this work alone.

Thank you for your continued support, commitment, and partnership. We look forward to a successful and productive year ahead.

With F.I.R.E. & Gratitude, 

-Administration

We would like to clarify an important matter regarding student safety and behavior on campus. Recently, there has been some misunderstanding surrounding the term “self-defense.” On school grounds, self-defense applies only to life-threatening situations. If students engage in a physical altercation that is not life-threatening, participation in the fight—regardless of who started it—is not considered self-defense. In these cases, disciplinary consequences will be applied accordingly.

Additionally, DJMS takes bullying and harassment very seriously. In accordance with Florida State Statute, bullying includes repeated and intentional behaviors that involve an imbalance of power and cause harm or distress to a student. This includes physical, verbal, social, and electronic (cyber) behaviors. DJMS is legally required to investigate all reported incidents of bullying, and appropriate actions will be taken based on the findings.

Our priority is to maintain a safe, respectful, and supportive learning environment for all students. We strongly encourage families to speak with their children about making responsible choices, reporting concerns to an adult, and using conflict-resolution strategies rather than physical responses.

FAST PM 2 Testing season is done! DJMS is proud of the accomplishments we achieved! More so, DJMS is on track to reaching our goals. Check out the performance below:

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.