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5th Grade Transition

Welcome to Dimmitt Middle School!

We are excited to support your transition to middle school and look forward to supporting you in the coming days and weeks in preparation for the first day of school.  

We hope you will attend our Spring Bling on May 16th from 5:30pm-7:30pm.  This event is geared specifically towards our incoming 5th grade scholars and will include many of our community partners along with important resources to support your transition to middle school.  Scholars will have an opportunity to meet with our scholar leaders, learn more about our Dimmitt community and connect with their future teachers! The Spring Bling will include opportunities to sign-up for our outstanding summer programming and get connected to other resources to support you throughout the summer as you prepare for the first day of school.  

Additionally, you definitely don't want to miss our DMS Back to School BBQ and Business Day on Thursday, August 22nd!  You will pick up your schedule, meet your teachers, and enjoy some delicious food!  You also want to use this time to practice transitioning between classes.

Finally, we look forward to seeing you on the first day of school: Wednesday, August 28th at 7:55am.  

As you prepare for your transition, feel free to reach out to the following staff members for support: 

Registration:  Lorinda Schoeneman- lorinda.schoeneman@rentonschools.us

Athletics: Jasmine Andrews- jasmine.andrews@rentonschools.us

After School Activities: Marissa Thomas- Marissa.thomas@rentonschools.us

Special Education: Meg Herlofsky- meghan.herlofsky@rentonschools.us

PTSA: Daniela Driscoll- Daniela.driscoll@rentonschools.us

Attendance: Victoria Werner- Victoria.werner@rentonschools.us

Assistant Principal Trent Pollard:  Trenton.Pollard@rentonschools.us

Assistant Principal Baron You:  Baron.You@rentonschools.us

Principal Tracey Tymczyszyn: tracey.tymczyszyn@rentonschools.us

Dimmitt Middle School Frequently Asked Questions

Q:  How do we register for classes?

A:   Sign into the student’s Skyward account, click on the custom form “Middle School Registration for 24-25”, select your classes and then submit it at the bottom.

Q:  How do you login to skyward?

A:   Your 5th grade teacher will go over this with you in your classroom. You can access Skyward from the Renton School District homepage.

Q:  When will we register online for the classes?

A:   It will be open from Friday, March 8th – March 22nd

Q:  At what grade can we play instruments like drums or violins?

A:   You can sign up for band or orchestra in the 6th grade!

Q:  Can you sign up for band or orchestra if you currently don’t play an instrument?

A:   Yes!

Q:  Will all students be assigned to an advisory class or is it voluntary?

A:   Every student is assigned to an advisory class.

Q:  Will there be a course catalog?

A:   There are descriptions of the elective classes online and on the registration form that was sent home with your student, but not an official course catalog.

Q:  What advanced (honors) classes are offered for 6th graders?

A:   Students can self-select into honors for Language Arts, Social Studies and/or Math

Q:  How do families decide our student is eligible for honors classes?

A:   Consider your student’s interest areas or careers they may be excited about (do they want to be an engineer, doctor, lawyer, work in a museum or be a writer?) Then, consider their grades in the last 2 years within that subject area (Was it easy for them? Do they consistently get high marks? Or could they get high marks if they were interested in the topic?) Honors in middle school is more self-directed than our general language arts, social studies, and math class. While they have similar assignments, the students themselves can make more decisions about what they want to study and how they want to direct their work. If this sounds like something your student would enjoy, honors might be the right course request.

Q:  How many electives can you pick?

A:   In 6th gr., you get to pick ONE of the offered year-long electives or the elective sampler.

Q:  Do 6th graders get to take a world language class, like Spanish or French?

A:   Spanish is offered in the 8th grade for high school credit. Spanish is also offered in 6th and 7th grade as an intro course.

Q:  What about classes for students with an IEP?

A:   In the spring, the current elementary teacher will meet with a DMS teacher and the guardian to show a matrix of what the students are receiving currently and what they’ll receive in middle school. Then, a case manager will be assigned and they will be your primary point of contact to ensure that your student will be scheduled into the correct classes, per their IEP and can field questions or concerns regarding this process.

Q:  Should I still register my student for classes if we might move over the summer?

A:   Yes, complete the online class registration, just in case!

Q:  For PE do students’ needs gym clothes to change out of their regular clothes?

A:   We offer a PE uniform for sale (cost is $20), however students are NOT required to buy the uniform or change. However, you will need to wear clothes that you can participate in (you’ll be running, warm-ups, playing sports, push-ups, etc.)

Q:  Will we be able to tour Dimmitt in person?

A:   Yes, the elementary schools will visit DMS in MAY. The date and time are still being determined.

Q:  When will we meet our teachers?

A:   You’ll see some teachers in May, but you’ll meet your teachers on our Viking Business Day and Back to School BBQ in August.

Q:  What time does the class start and do we have the same classes everyday?

A:   Classes start at 7:55am (M-Th) and 9:25am (F). Yes, you have the same classes every day, except there is no advisory on Fridays.

Q:  What time does school end and do we have late start Fridays?

 A:  The school day ends at 2:35pm (M-F). Yes, we have late start Fridays 

Q:   Is there an early dismissal every Friday?

A:   No, there is no early dismissal on Fridays. However, as with all other RSD schools, on Fridays, we do have late start Fridays. Dimmitt starts at 9:25AM on Fridays.

Q:  Does Dimmitt serve breakfast?

A:   Yes, breakfast start in the cafeteria at 7:30am (M-Th) and 9:00am (F)

Q:  Will there be a lunch menu?

A:   Yes, it is posted on the Renton School District website, just like the elementary schools.

Q:  Do we have recess in middle school?

A:   You will have a 30-minute lunch/recess time. Generally, you get to eat for 15 minutes, then can go outside for 15 minutes. Other than that, there are no recesses.

Q:  Will each student be assigned a locker?

A:   Unfortunately, no.

Q:  Are there PE lockers in the locker rooms?

A:   Yes, when you have PE, you will be assigned a lock and locker to keep your stuff stored.

Q:  Is the school library open?

A:   Yes!

Q:  Will 6th graders have a school counselor?

A:   Yes, all 6th graders will be assigned a counselor.

Q:  Is there a virtual tour of the building we can watch?

A:   We don’t have a virtual tour but remember students will come visit the school in May

and in August.

Q:  Will we go on any field trips?

A:   This is still to be determined for the 24-25 school year; however, we do host fieldtrips!

Q:  Do we have dances or special school events?

A:   Yes! We have dances several times a year (right after school), some pep assemblies, spirit weeks, and more!

Q:  Is a school bus provided and how do I get the information about it?

A:   Yes, there are school buses that come to Dimmitt. The routes, stops and times are determined by the RSD Transportation Department and will be emailed out about a week before school starts in August. Dimmitt has nothing to do with the buses.

Q:  What if the bus is late picking me up, would I get a tardy to class?

A:   We would excuse the tardy, since it was a school bus that was running late.