Dryden Community Schools Newsletter

Dear Cardinal Families,

I hope this newsletter finds you well and reflecting on the happy summer memories you created in the past few months. Welcome to the start of a new school year! As educators, we are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with your child(ren) and witness their growth and development throughout the year. This year promises new and exciting opportunities for growth. I am confident that together, we can create a positive and engaging learning environment.

We can't wait to see you later this month. The first day of school is a half day on Monday, August 21. There will be no school on August 25, September 1, or September 4. The school year calendar can be found at the bottom of this newsletter. Please reach out to us if we can help you or your family in any way. See you soon!

Yours in Education,

Mary Finnigan

Superintendent

Stay updated on our progress with funds from the bond passed in May 2023 by using this checklist! We appreciate your continued support of our students, our schools, and our community.

The School of Choice window is now open through August 24, 2023. Applications MUST be submitted by August 24 to either the High School or Elementary School secretaries.

School of Choice applications can be found on our website at the link below. Please feel free to contact Lori Hall at lhall@drydenschools.org or 810-448-4090 for more information.

All incoming Begindergarten, Kindergarten, and 7th Grade Students must be up-to-date on their immunizations by this fall. Lapeer County Health Department has the Tdap., Meningitis, and Chickenpox (varicella) vaccines along with all CDC and ACIP recommended vaccines available for children needing them to meet school requirements.

Call 810-667-0448 to see if your child’s immunizations are up-to-date before the new school year this fall. If you choose to get a waiver, you must make an appointment with the Lapeer County Health Department to receive one.

Please mail, bring to the high school office, or fax to 810-796-3698, a copy of your child’s updated immunization record on or before August 21, 2023. If you have any further questions, please contact Lori Hall at 810-448-4090 or at lhall@drydenschools.org

Dear Cardinal Families,

Welcome back! These are exciting times to be a Cardinal! I am happy to report that some bond initiatives are already underway with the arrival of our Chromebooks. We are working to get them to students as quickly as possible. Please be patient, as they have just arrived. While there are many more bond projects to plan and prepare for, we are happy to get things going. I want to reiterate how thankful we are to be part of this supportive community and will work as quickly as we can on the bond projects and keep you updated along the way.

If you have been by the building, you might have noticed the work that our Seven Ponds partners put into the rain garden in the front of the building. We will add to our efforts by working on a grant to secure funding for this and other various outdoor projects. We are excited to partner again with the Dryden Historical Society and the Village of Dryden for the upcoming school year. Inside the building, we have been focused on deep deep cleaning and revitalizing the areas down by the gym. We think you will like what you see!

We invite all parents/families of students in early childhood through sixth grade to our annual SnoCone Social on Wednesday, August 16th from 4:00 - 7:00. This is a great opportunity to come in, tour the building, meet your child’s teacher and see your child’s classroom and locker, meet some of our community partners, and make connections. Back-to-school folders will be ready for pick up. The Lapeer County Health Department will be hosting a childhood immunization clinic, and new students and incoming Kindergartners can get their hearing and vision screened. Parents may also apply for free and reduced lunch, sign up for PTA, and get information about other groups and organizations. Unfortunately, due to a schedule conflict, school pictures will not be taken until October 10th. Look for more information in the weeks ahead on that.

We are doing great things as we elevate to the next level. Our focus remains on creating and maintaining a positive school culture, instilling and nurturing a growth mindset for all, and making data-driven decisions. With that being said, bring on the 23-24 school year! If you have any questions, or if we can help in any way, please reach out to us at (810)796-2201.

Sincerely,

Stacey Abromaitis

Principal

Dryden Elementary

Student safety is priority one. Please use CAUTION and extend grace and kindness to everyone.

Parking: Spaces in front of the building are limited to 10-minute parking during school hours. If you have business with the school that exceeds 10 minutes, please park in the north parking lot. For everyone’s safety, the front of the building is not a designated drop-off or pick-up spot. All Early Childhood program parking is in the back of the building in the south lot. Parents can access it from Pleasant Street. PLEASE use care and caution when driving through this residential area.

Drop-off: The building will open at 8:15 a.m. Buses will drop students off in the back of the building on the service drive. Parents may use the loop lane next to the sidewalk in the north lot to drop off students. This lane is NOT for standing or parking in the morning. It MUST be a continuous loop for traffic to flow properly and safely off of Mill Street. Parents who wish to escort their children to the building must park in a parking spot. Students may not be dropped off in front of the building unless school is already in session for the day.

Pick-up: Teachers will escort students out of the building at dismissal time. Students riding the bus will board the bus. Students who are being picked up will meet their parents at the designated location. The loop lane in the north lot is reserved for those who need it and is limited to the number of cars that fit alongside the sidewalk. If the sidewalk spaces are full, parents must park and walk to meet their children. Cars may not block the bus lane or flow onto Mill Street while waiting in the loop lane as this is a safety hazard. Parents who need the loop lane must stay with/in the vehicle. Please use care and caution when driving in and around the school and follow the directions of the crossing guards.

Please be advised that the school playground is closed to the public year-round from 6:30 a.m.- 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Families are welcome to use the facility after hours and on weekends. Please remember that children under the age of 18 must be supervised at all times by an adult. Smoking, vaping, and alcohol consumption are prohibited on school property. The school campus closes at dusk daily.

Please consider supporting our PTA. Meetings are typically held at 6:00 P.M. the first Wednesday of each month in the elementary school media center. Planning is underway for upcoming events. Our fall events include: Sno-Cone Social, Popcorn Fridays, Goodies with Grandparents, Trunk or Treat, and a Veterans Day Celebration. We would love your input!

OFFICE HOURS

The Dryden Elementary office will be open Monday-Thursday from 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. to answer questions and enroll students through August 17. Regular hours (8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.) resume August 21, 2023. The office will be closed August 25th, September 1st, and September 4th.

UNIVERSAL BREAKFAST AND LUNCH

As you have likely heard by now, ALL Michigan students are eligible to receive universal breakfast and lunch for the upcoming school year. Breakfast will be served from 8:15 to 8:30 a.m. in the cafeteria.

SCHOOL DAY

Dryden Elementary opens to students at 8:15 a.m. daily when school is in session. Students are expected to be in class and ready to learn by 8:30 a.m.; otherwise, they will be marked tardy/absent. Our school day ends at 3:35 p.m. At dismissal, students are expected to exit the building unless they are under the direct supervision of a teacher or Cardinal Club staff.

ATTENDANCE

Attendance matters! Let’s work together to make the most of every moment! Please do your best to have your child to school on time every day, and try to schedule appointments and vacations for outside of school time. Please call the main office regarding attendance matters.

IMPORTANT DATES

The first day of school is Monday, August 21, 2023.

There will be no school on Friday, August 25 and September 1, or Monday, September 4, 2023.

As noted above, safety is priority one! We are stronger when we work together, so please review expectations with your child regarding games that should and should not be played at school, items that should and should not be brought to school, and what should and should not be talked about in the school setting especially as they pertain to school safety. As you know, we live in a world where we must remain vigilant in our efforts to keep everyone safe, and therefore, take all matters seriously.

We continue to follow guidelines from the CDC and Health Department when it comes to illnesses. We do our best to continue to encourage social distancing when possible in addition to regular cleaning and sanitizing. Please help us by encouraging good personal hygiene, and keeping your child home when warranted.

We are excited to have new staff joining us! Please extend a warm Cardinal welcome to Mrs. Hearold and Mr. Sudduth, Ms. Marsh and Ms. Ludlow, Mrs. Martin and Mrs. Lapka, and Mrs. Hertz. Ms. Fournier and Mrs. Kern are moving into our cook positions from their previous roles in the district. We are working to fill the crossing/recess lunch aide positions. Please note the following list is tentative:

Begindergarten- Mrs. Medley

Kindergarten- Mrs. Campbell and Ms. Gorski

1st Grade- Mrs. Lowe and Mrs. Hearold

2nd Grade- Mrs. Bonesteel and Mrs. Raymer

3rd Grade- Mrs. Palmerini and Ms. Marsh

4th Grade- Mr. Capelli

5th grade- Mrs. Birkett and Mrs. Calvert

6th grade- Mrs. Howell

Resource Room- Ms. Ludlow

EI Room- Ms. Highley

Art- Mrs. Torok

Gym- Mrs. Margrif

Library and Tech- Mrs. Knox

Music- Mr. Sudduth

Interventionists- Mrs. James, Mrs. Roys, Mrs. Martin, and Mrs. Lapka

Cafeteria- Ms. Fournier and Mrs. Kern

Custodian- Mrs. Hertz

Dear Cardinal Families,

We are excitedly preparing to welcome you back to school on August 21, the first day of school and a half day for students. We can't wait to see you!

Personnel Update

We are excited to welcome Mr. Jacob Sudduth to our Dryden family as our new Band and Music teacher! Moving up from Dryden Elementary is Custodian Ms. Jennifer Fournier.

Cardinal Day

Please join us for Cardinal Day on Tuesday, August 15 from 4:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. Students can pick up their schedules, greet their teachers, and say hello to friends. Chromebooks can be signed out for the school year with the opportunity to purchase device insurance. The 2022-2023 school year’s yearbook will be available for pickup, and limited extra copies can be purchased. There will be yummy treats from our cafeteria, and students can pick up a free Dryden Cardinals t-shirt to start the new school year!

Representatives from each of Dryden Early College Academy’s partner schools will attend Cardinal Day to speak to students about post-secondary education opportunities. Families are encouraged to visit with ambassadors from Baker College, Ferris State University, Macomb Community College, Mott Community College, Oakland University, and the University of Michigan Flint.

Incoming 7th grade students must be up-to-date on their immunizations by this fall. Families may wish to visit the SnoCone Social at Dryden Elementary School on August 16 to receive updated vaccines.

Breakfast and Lunch

All students are eligible for free breakfast and lunch during this school year. You will be able to see the lunch menu in The Red and Black student newspaper, posted on the district Facebook page and emailed to students in grades 7-12 and their families every Monday morning.

As always, please let us know if you have any questions or if we can help in any way.

Warmly,

Mary Finnigan

Dryden Junior/Senior High School Principal

At this time, we are offering the choice of fully in-person or fully online learning for students in grades 7-12 at Dryden Junior/Senior High School. Families interested in the fully online Dryden Virtual Academy should contact the office at (810)796-2266.

Students enrolled in the Dryden Early College Academy have the opportunity to continue their education at one of six post-secondary institutions: Baker College, Ferris State University, Oakland University, Macomb Community College, Mott Community College, or the University of Michigan-Flint.

In education, dual enrollment (DE) involves students being enrolled in two separate, academically related institutions. Generally, it refers to high school students taking college courses. The state of Michigan allows students in grades 9 through 12 to enroll in post-secondary courses. Students can take up to 10 college courses while in high school. Contact Mrs. Fleming for additional information, if interested (kfleming@drydenschools.org).

Are you interested in brushing up on Spanish or getting a headstart on useful expressions and conversation starters? Would you enjoy exploring other cultures with fellow Dryden students? If so, Spanish Club is for you! Open to all former, current, and future Spanish students; meetings will be once a month from 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm in Señora Yurk's room. Most meetings will be on the last scheduled Wednesday of each month. Our first meeting is Wednesday, August 30. If you have any questions, contact Mrs. Yurk. See you there!!

Dear #proudcardinal students and families,

📣 WELCOME BACK!!! I look forward to seeing everyone throughout the year at our athletic events supporting our Dryden Cardinals.

Students who want to participate in any sports program this year MUST have a PHYSICAL on file in the office prior to participating. You will NOT be allowed to participate without the physical on file. The physical form can either be picked up at the HS office or printed from the MHSAA website. (https://www.mhsaa.com/Schools/Forms-Resources)

Here are the High School start dates for each sport this season.

Fall:

• August 7: Cross Country, Football, and Volleyball

Winter:

• November 13: Boys Basketball and Bowling

• November 20: Girls Basketball

Spring:

• March 11: Baseball, Golf, Girls Soccer (co-op), Softball, and Track & Field

We also offer the following Junior High sports.

• Fall: Cross Country and Volleyball

• Winter: Girls Basketball and Boys Basketball

• Spring: Track & Field and Baseball (7/8th Gr only)

Our first events are as follows:

• Tuesday, August 22nd - JV/Varsity Volleyball vs Almont @ 6/730p

• Thursday, August 24th - JV/Varsity Volleyball vs Capac @ 6/730p

• Friday, August 25th - High School Cross Country @ Lapeer

• Friday, August 25th - Varsity Football vs Carsonville-Port Sanilac @ 6p

The rest of the schedule can be found on our school website or at this link:

https://www.drydenschools.org/page/athletics

REMINDER!

Students, please be sure to bring your IDs to all of our home events to get in for FREE.

Not able to make the game? Stream it with the NFHS Network.

You are able to watch your beloved Cardinals anywhere.

Please follow this link to start your access today.

https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/

Let’s have a great year! #PROUDCardinal!

Ms. Loraine Brinker

Assistant Principal/Athletic Director

Come join the Varsity Cheer Team! Open to grades 9-12! Practices this week are August 8, 9, and 10 from 1:00-2:30 p.m. in the Multi-Purpose Room. Any questions, contact Coach Kyrie Howell.
khowell@drydenschools.org
(810)448-4009

Support your #proudcardinal Varsity Football Team at this year's Fall Festival! Tackle the Cardinal Kickoff Race on Saturday, September 30, 2023. Choose between the 5K or 4-mile challenge for grownups and the 5K or 1-mile for youngsters 12 or under.

September 11

October 9

November 13

December 11

January 8

All meetings begin at 7:00 p.m., will be held in the Dryden High School Library, and are open to the public.

Stacey Abromaitis

Dryden Elementary School Principal

Loraine Brinker

Athletic Director

Dryden Junior/Senior High School Assistant Principal

Mary Finnigan

Superintendent

Dryden Junior/Senior High School Principal

Email: MFinnigan@drydenschools.org
Website: www.drydenschools.org
Location: 3866 Rochester Road, Dryden, MI, USA
Phone: 810-796-9534
Facebook: facebook.com/DrydenCommunitySchools
Twitter: @DrydenSchools