Good afternoon, Brogden Families,
As we reach the midpoint of summer, we hope your family has enjoyed time to rest, recharge, and make meaningful memories together. Although the first day of school is still a few weeks away, preparations for the 2026–2027 school year are well underway at Brogden!
We are excited to welcome back our returning Dragons and extend a warm welcome to the students and families joining the Brogden community for the first time. To help everyone prepare for a successful start to the school year, we are sharing several important mid-summer updates, upcoming dates, and family resources.
We remain committed to fostering a culture of excellence where every student is known, challenged, and supported. We look forward to partnering with you to make this our best year yet!
Open House – Thursday, August 20th
Open House is a wonderful opportunity to meet your child’s teachers, receive your student’s schedule, tour the building, and learn about the exciting opportunities awaiting your student this year.
Open House Schedule
7th and 8th Grade: 1:00–3:00pm
6th Grade: 5:00–7:00pm
Our first day of school is Monday, August 24th.
Dual Language Immersion Transportation Information Session
New for the 2026–2027 school year, Durham Public Schools will introduce express bus stop service for students attending Durham School of the Arts and Brogden Middle School’s Dual Language Immersion program. Families will be able to access stop locations, maps, and additional transportation information through each school’s website.
Families of students participating in Brogden’s Dual Language Immersion Program are invited to attend an important Transportation Information Session regarding the implementation of Express Stop Transportation.
Date: Wednesday, August 5th
Time: 5:00 p.m.
Location: Durham School of the Arts
During the session, district staff will:
Provide an overview of how Express Stop Transportation will operate.
Review transportation procedures for DLI students.
Answer questions from families.
Help address transportation concerns before the first day of school.
Translation services will be available to support our multilingual families. We strongly encourage all DLI families to attend to help ensure a smooth transition into the new school year.
School Supply Lists
To simplify back-to-school shopping, Brogden utilizes one school-wide supply list for all students. While individual teachers may request a few additional classroom-specific items after the school year begins, the school-wide list includes the supplies every Dragon should have on the first day of school.
School Overview
Families can find important back-to-school information by visiting the Families section of the Brogden Middle School website. The School Overview includes helpful information about:
Arrival and dismissal procedures
Chromebooks
Resources for rising sixth-grade students
Media Center resources
School Social Worker resources
Additional family supports
Please note that the Durham Public Schools website will officially transition to information for the 2026–2027 school year on August 1. Until then, some pages may continue to reflect information from the previous school year. Once the website has been updated, we encourage all families to visit the Families section and review these important resources before the first day of school.
Infinite Campus Parent Portal
Infinite Campus will serve as your one-stop location for accessing important student information, including:
Student schedules
Grades
Attendance
Report cards
Emergency contact information
School communications
Additional student records and updates
We encourage every family to create a Parent Portal account as soon as possible.
Setting Up Your Parent Portal
Visit https://portalaccess.ncsis.gov
Complete the following steps:
Select Durham Public Schools.
Enter your student’s identification number, first name, last name, and date of birth.
Select the parent or guardian creating the account.
Choose either text or email verification. The selected method must match the information currently on file with the school.
Enter the six-digit verification code to complete the account setup.
Families may also download the Infinite Campus Parent app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for convenient access throughout the school year.
District Communication Update
Durham Public Schools will transition back to TalkingPoints as the district’s primary family communication platform for the 2026–2027 school year.
Additional information regarding TalkingPoints, including setup instructions and details about how families will connect with teachers and schools, will be shared beginning August 1. We encourage all families to watch for these updates so they are prepared to receive important school and district communications.
Changes to Student Cellphone Use
A North Carolina law requires students to keep cellphones and other wireless communication devices turned off and put away during instructional time.
Devices may not be used for texting, calling, accessing social media, or other personal purposes while classes are in session. Devices may be used during designated non-instructional times in accordance with school and district expectations.
House Bill 959 also requires schools to provide students with instruction related to social media literacy.
Additional information regarding Brogden’s cellphone expectations will be shared before the beginning of the school year.
Important Reminder for Rising Seventh-Grade Families
North Carolina law requires all students entering seventh grade to receive the following immunizations:
One Tdap vaccine
One Meningococcal Conjugate, or MCV, vaccine
Please provide an updated immunization record to Brogden Middle School as soon as your student receives these vaccines. Students who do not meet state immunization requirements may be excluded from school after the state deadline.
For questions regarding your student’s immunization status, please get in touch with your healthcare provider or the Brogden Middle School main office at 919-560-3906.
Athletics – Ticket-to-Play
Students interested in participating in athletics during the upcoming school year must complete the Durham Public Schools Ticket-to-Play process before participating in workouts or tryouts.
How to Earn Your Ticket-to-Play
Register online through the Durham Athletic Registration Portal.
Submit hard copies of the completed physical examination and concussion forms to the Brogden Athletic Director.
Ensure the student’s online athletic profile is marked “Green” before attending an in-person Ticket-to-Play session.
Once students receive their Ticket-to-Play, they are officially eligible to participate in team workouts and athletic tryouts.
Ticket-to-Play Dates
July 20–23: 4:30–6:00 p.m.
Questions regarding athletics may be directed to Candise Bright, Athletic Director, at candise_bright@dpsnc.net.
Join the Brogden PTA
Our PTA is an invaluable partner in supporting Brogden’s students, teachers, and school community. Through family engagement, volunteer opportunities, teacher appreciation, and student programming, the PTA helps make Brogden an exceptional place to learn and grow. Active PTA members will receive free admission to all home athletic and arts events throughout the school year as part of our PTA Perks program.
We encourage every family to become a member and get involved!
Join the Brogden PTA: https://brogdennews.wixsite.com/brogden-pta
Stay Connected
Be sure to stay connected with Brogden throughout the remainder of the summer and the upcoming school year.
Facebook: @BMSDragons
Instagram: @Brogden_Middle
Additional back-to-school information will continue to be shared as we move closer to the first day of school. We encourage families to regularly check their email, the Brogden website, and our social media pages for important updates.
Thank you for choosing Brogden Middle! We are honored to serve your family and are excited about the learning, leadership, and Dragon Pride that await us in the 2026–2027 school year.
Enjoy the remainder of your summer. We look forward to welcoming our Dragons back to campus soon!
In service and partnership,
Mrs. Desirae Smith, Principal