The Service Committee, composed of students in grades 3-8, is excited to announce the annual book drive. Service committee members learned that 2 out of 10 adults in Rome cannot read or read very little. Research shows that one of the most powerful ways to help children read is to have books in their homes, and we can do something to help. Over the past 9 years, we have collected over 27,000 gently used books, and they have been donated to different schools and groups in Rome, so that the children can take the books home and practice their reading. They are always excited to receive and read the books and can’t wait to get new ones!
The Pre-K to 8th grade is having a book drive from January 30 - February 8. We are asking you to clean your bookshelves and bring in gently used books that you no longer want or need. We have set a goal to bring in 1,500 books this year. If we reach our goal, we will earn a dress down day for the school on Feb. 10th. Please help by bringing in books for the book drive!
For the month of February, Darlington School will be offering 3 after-school clubs for our students in grades 3-5. Please see the club summaries below and use the link provided to register. A student’s spot will be confirmed once payment is received.
Design Thinking with Legos w/ J. Fine on Mondays and Wednesdays- (WAITLIST ONLY)
LEGO club encourages children to learn while having fun! Creativity, problem-solving, communication, and teamwork are just a few of the skills that students will practice while "playing" with LEGOS. This structured club time provides an excellent opportunity for students to engage in LEGO challenges that encourage critical thinking.
This session will last all of February.
7 sessions- $25
Parent pickup at Thatcher Hall at 4pm
Introduction to Wrestling w/ Coach Edwards on Mondays and Wednesdays-
Starting in February, The Darlington Wrestling Program will be starting the Youth Wrestling Club. Our Youth Club is led by experienced coaches who will provide the guidance and support your child needs to succeed in wrestling. Your child will learn wrestling through a combination of games and instruction. Our Club is designed with safety in mind, providing a positive environment for your child to improve their physical fitness and develop their wrestling skills. We look forward to seeing your sons and daughters on the mat!
This session will last all of February.
7 sessions- $25
Parent pickup at Huffman parking lot at 4pm
Darlington Mad Potters w/ Watterson and Houston on Tuesdays and Thursdays
Do you like to dig in the dirt? Do you love growing things? Come join the Darlington Mad Potters as we learn more about what makes your garden grow! We will be learning about composting, pollinators, planting techniques and propagating seeds. You will get to build an insect house, plant a "pizza garden" with herbs, and dig in the garden beds! Come join us and get ready to get dirty!
This session will last all of February and March.
15 sessions- $45 and will include a pair of gloves and utility belt.
Parent pickup at Thatcher Hall at 4pm
Send payment to Mrs. Payne with your child’s name on it and what club they are signed up for. If your child is not picked up by 4:05 p.m. for these programs, he or she will be escorted to Extended Day, which does have a cost associated with it.
Baseball
Baseball practice/ conditioning will start on January 26th from 2:35 to 4:00 pm. Those student-athletes still in winter sports can join us after their season is complete. Parent pickup for baseball will be at the baseball field at 4 pm. 5th graders playing MS baseball will walk over to the baseball field with Coach McConnell each day at 3:15. Email Coach Eberhart with any questions- ceberhart@darlingtonschool.org.
Boys Soccer
Boys Soccer practices will start on January 23rd from 2:35 to 4:00 pm. Those student-athletes still in winter sports can join us after their season is complete. Parent pickup for soccer will be at the Huffman parking lot at 4 pm. Email Coach Ivester with any questions- kivester@darlingtonschool.org.
Girls Soccer
Girls Soccer will have tryouts on January 25th and 26th from 4:00 to 5:00 pm. Please note, we have to do it at a later time slot because many student-athletes are still in winter sports. Students that are in winter sports, will get picked up from the Huffman by Coach Beckman and will walk over to the football practice field. Those students not in a winter sport will go with Coach Wiseman at 2:35 and will work on drills until the tryout starts at 4:00 pm. Parent pickup for soccer will be at the Huffman Parking lot at 5 pm for tryouts ( every other day will be at 4 pm). Email Coach Wiseman with any questions- awiseman@darlingtonschool.org
Boys Lacrosse
Lacrosse practices start on January 30th and will run from 4:00 to 5:15 pm every day. Lacrosse players will have the opportunity to have a study hall from 2:35 to 3:40 in Thatcher Hall and then will walk through the tunnel together to get to the lacrosse fields. Parent pickup for lacrosse will be at the lacrosse fields at 5:15 pm. Email Coach Leezer with any questions- bleezer@darlingtonschool.org
Boys and Girls Tennis
Both tennis teams will have tryouts starting on February 21st from 2:35 to 4:00 pm at the Darlington tennis courts. Parent pickup for tennis will be at the Huffman parking lot at 4:00 pm. Email Coach Baldwin with any questions- crbaldwin@darlingtonschool.org
Boys and Girls Track and Field
Both track and field teams will start practices on February 21st from 2:35 to 4:00 pm at the Darlington Track. Parent pickup for track and field will be at the Huffman parking lot at 4:00 pm. Email Coach Collier with any questions- pcollier@darlingtonschool.org
Boys and Girls Golf
Darlington School will be offering golf team tryouts on February 28th and March 2nd at Coosa Country Club. On February 28th, from 2:45 to 4:00 pm, tryouts will be held at the Coosa golf range and the chipping/ putting green. If the student performs well enough on day 1, they will be invited to day 2 of the tryout which is going to be on the actual course on March 2nd. Athletes will be required to shoot a 55 (60 for females) or better for 9 holes ( or on pace for double bogey or better at each hole- if cut short) in order to be considered for the team. Parent pickup for February 28th will be at 4 pm and around 5:15- 5:30 pm for March 2nd at Coosa Country Club. Email Coach Ivester with any questions- kivester@darlingtonschool.org.
We will have our final parent information meeting for the middle school field trips in the Ledbetter Commons of Thatcher Hall on Tuesday, February 7 at 4:15 pm. We will go over the details of where we are staying, departure and arrival times, our policies and procedures, details of our attractions, and answer any last-minute questions.
If you can't attend, use this virtual link. https://meet.google.com/egy-owai-knc?authuser=0&pli=1
The service committee had a productive fall, as we collected many cans of food, and gently used toys and clothes for the children of Rome. We are going to start our winter projects and need to meet and discuss our plan and goal for the upcoming book drive. All students in 3rd through 8th grade are welcome to join us from 3:30-4:00. We hope to see everyone there!
Future meeting dates:
**The book packing party (dinner included) is Wednesday, Feb 8 from 3:30-5:30. This is when we will get the final book count, organize, and pack books to be delivered around Rome. We invite parents to join in the fun to help with the packing!
Book Drive Collection Dates:
