All students in grades six through eight participate in core academic classes. Cores include mathematics, English language arts, science, and social studies. For eighth grade students, foreign language serves as a fifth core class.
Our students also participate in a number of related arts courses. Students participate in health & physical education, business education, general music, art, family & consumer science, and technology education each year. Further, we have extensive ensemble offerings to students, including band, chorus, and orchestra. Students who choose to participate in ensembles do so during the school day, as this is worked into our regular school schedule. Students can participate in all three ensembles if they so choose!
DHEMS follows a four-block schedule, with three cores and one related arts class per block. We also have three thirty minute midday periods every day. One of these periods is lunch, and the other two are dependent on each student's schedule and needs. Musical ensembles meet during this time, in addition to remediation and specialized programming. Many students have study hall and silent reading time if they aren't involved in ensembles or receiving any support services.