1200-1208 Polk Street  l  Lynchburg, VA 24504
(434) 522-3740 phone  l  (434) 522-3727 fax


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Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle School For Innovation
 is committed to providing:

  • an education program to meet the intellectual, emotional, social, physical, and cultural needs of our diverse population
  • a secure environment
  • an atmosphere in which students, parents, staff and community work together to achieve success.

  • a successful transition into the secondary experience

Dunbar Touch Tank

P. L. Dunbar School for Innovation has the only touch tank in central Virginia.  This summer we have reorganized the tank and now have the main touch tank and two additional tanks, one with corals and the other with plans for fish and "untouchables."  We have such organisms as calico and portly spider crabs, cleaner shrimp, chocolate chip starfish, xenia coral, devils finger coral, clown wrasse, sea urchins, hermit crabs, flame scallop, red lip goby and more.  Students will  work again this year with teachers in a variety of ways to learn about the organisms in the tanks and how to care for them.   Sixth grade students will study the touch tank throughout the school year as part of the Life Science curriculum.  Seventh grade students will study the marine center as part of the new Earth Zones exploratory class.

Earth Zone

Earth Zone is a new exploratory class for 7th grade which our students will be offered for the fall of 2008-09.  In this class students spend six weeks working with marine biology, herpetology and broadcast journalism.  Students will have the opportunity to work with the touch tank, herpetology (reptiles and amphibians) lab, communications studio, computer lab, digital still and video cameras and other media. 


We will also be exploring after school enrichment opportunities for our students with Earth Zone - stay tuned!!

AR Booklist Online
Students and Parents can access the DMS AR booklist online.  This database is searchable by Author, Book Level, or Title.  To get to the searchable booklist, click on the icon above.

Accelerated Reader is a program used at Dunbar to encourage students to read more books.  After reading a book students take a test online and accumulate points.  There are generally three incentives held during the year where students must have accumulated a certain number of points to be allowed to attend.  At the end of the year the students earning the top points as well as members of various points clubs are honored.

 

Registration

  • Registration packets will be mailed to parents on August 6.  These will include various forms which can be filled out ahead of time and bus schedules.  They will NOT include student schedules.

  • Transfer/New Student Registration for students new to the school division or students transferring between middle schools within the division (this DOES NOT include new sixth grade or applicant students) August 13, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. and August 14, 2:30 p.m. - 7 p.m.

  • Sixth Grade Orientation, Thursday August 21, 8:00 (buses will pick up students according to schedule; car riders should arrive at DMS no later than 8:00 and be picked up by 10:45).

  • General Registration/Open House, August 19, 12:30 p.m. - 7 p.m.

  • Agendas available at both registrations $5

  • PE Uniform (required) orders for 7th and 8th grade $11.50 (XXL size additional charge) during registration