Good evening parents, this is Principal Tonya Williams with your weekly message. I hope all is well with you and your family.
Beginning Tuesday, March 24, please encourage your students to complete supplemental assignments or lessons provided by their teachers. Students received either hard copies or digital access to assignments. Teachers will be available via email and phone during our time away. In addition, they will update their classroom communication (RemindApp, websites, Google Classroom, etc.) regularly. Students needing support with their supplemental assignments should contact their teachers. The purpose of this work is to provide supplemental instruction. Students will not be penalized or harmed academically if they are unable to complete the supplemental instruction. Please view the DPS website for remote learning resources, as well. As a reminder, if teachers are unable to communicate with students and families, then they will have an out of office message set up.
During this time, we know our students may need mental health support. We have the following community resources to assist students:
Say Something Anonymous Reporting System - DPS students currently in grades 6-12
can continue to use the Say Something Anonymous Reporting system to report students in
crisis or need emotional support.
● Text-a-Tip - concerns or suspicious behavior may be reported anonymously at
www.tipsubmit.com or by cell: text a tip to 274637, start the message with keyword DPSTIP.
● Carolina Outreach Behavioral Health Urgent Care is a community-based resource that
provides immediate mental health needs, including medication bridges, safety assessments,
and crisis counseling as well as making thoughtful connections to ongoing services to assure
continuity of care. They can be reached at 919-251-9009.
● Freedom House Recovery Center: Mobile Crisis Services 24/7 - A mobile crisis team can come to students and staff homes or other locations and guide them safely through a mental health or substance abuse crisis. The mobile crisis dispatch can be reached at
1-866-275-9552. If an emergency please contact 911.
Of course, students can also reach out to their school counselor or the social worker during this time, as well. We are all here to support our students!
Students in Advanced Placement courses should have received information regarding AP exams. Traditional face-to-face exam administrations will not take place. For the 2019–20 exam administration only, students can take a 45-minute online exam at home. The exam will only include topics and skills most AP teachers and students have already covered in class by early March. Students will be able to take these streamlined exams on any device they have access to—computer, tablet, or smartphone. Taking a photo of handwritten work will also be an option. If your child needs access to technology to take the AP exam, then please reach out directly to their AP teacher. AP teachers will communicate directly with students regarding testing dates when they become available by the college board.
DPS is also providing meal service beginning on Monday, March 23, currently scheduled for two weeks and to be reassessed based on need and available resources. DPS yellow buses will deliver meals and snacks for children once each weekday to approximately 67 school and community sites located in areas of the greatest need in the Durham community. The buses will also provide the printed supplemental learning materials for distribution on March 23-25. If you are in need of meal delivery, then please call 919-560-3657.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. I hope everyone has a great week. As always, Roll Pirates Roll!