A Message from the Principal: 

Dear DMS families,

This year, the district is piloting an alternative school day which provides for some days of school (canceled for weather) to be made up through the completion of "Blizzard Bag" assignments. Each school in the district has set up its Blizzard Bag assignments for staff and students, so you may see some differences in expectations for work completed if you have siblings in other buildings. All DMS students have the same set of assignments for our Blizzard Bags.

Here are answers to some questions you may have about the DPS Blizzard Bags program:

• This one-year pilot program will be used to allow us to make up canceled days of school in June by completing Blizzard Bag assignments. The school department will review the pilot in the spring and determine if the program will continue in future years.

• The Superintendent will announce that school has been canceled and that you should complete your Blizzard Bag Day assignments- this announcement will appear on our website and on Dr. Antonucci’s twitter feed (@duxbury_ps).  

• The assignments will support but not directly connect to topics you are studying in your classes. (This is because, per state regulations, assignments cannot resemble homework.)

Here’s how it will work at DMS:

• When the Superintendent announces a Blizzard Bag Day, I will publish the assignment in your Blizzard Bag Schoology course with a due date two weeks from the canceled day of school.

• A menu of different assignments have been created for all DMS students in two different sections. For each Blizzard Bag day, students will be responsible for completing two of the assignments, 1 from each section.  It is recommended that students print out a copy so that they are able to work on the assignment in the event of a power outage. Assignments may not be submitted multiple times. It’s important that students choose assignments that are meaningful and interesting.

• Student work will be assessed by a DMS teacher, counselor, or administrator. Students will receive feedback on their submission soon after the due date. Please note that the staff member who views and assesses student work may ask the student to revise and resubmit the assignment with corrections if it does not meet minimum standards for credit. It is the student’s responsibility as a student to check Schoology to see if revisions are required, and to make those corrections.

• Students were directed to join their team’s Blizzard Bag Course using the Schoology code provided to them. Parents who use the Schoology parent access for their DMS child should be able to see this course once their child joins it successfully. The menu of assignments is also accessible in these courses.  If needed, paper copies of the assignments will be available in the DMS main office for any student who wishes to pick up a paper copy.

• DMS staff members are in each of the Blizzard Bag courses. Students are encouraged to reach out to them with any questions they, or you may have.

• If a student fails to submit an assignment, or fails to re-submit work with corrections when directed, the student will be marked absent-unexcused for the school day.  Additionally, the student will earn a zero for a small grade in one of their classes. The course for which a grade will be earned will rotate with each Blizzard Bag day used.

I hope you and your family enjoy any school cancellation days we have this winter and your child finds the Blizzard Bag assignments to be meaningful and enriching. As always, feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns by calling the DMS Main Office at 781-934-7640.

Best,

Sarah McGuire,

Principal

Duxbury Middle School