![page background](https://cdn.smore.com/_fr/schoolsupplies.542551b2.jpg)
DUNNING NOTES FROM the OFFICE
Sunday, March 19th, 2023
Need translation? | ¿Necesita traducción? | Precisa de tradução?
ENGLISH: Need translation? Just click "Translate" at the top of your screen!
ESPAÑOL: ¿Necesita traducción? Haga clic en "Translate" (traducir) en la parte superior de la pantalla.
PORTUGUÊS: Precisa de tradução? Clique em “Translate” (traduzir) no topo da tela!
Dates to Remember
Please check this calendar each week as new dates may be added.
MARCH
Care & Share Collection - Crackers
Wednesday, 3/22
- TEAM DAY - Dress up as your favorite team or group; sports, dance, cheer team or even your favorite music band!
Wednesday, 3/29
- DRESS FOR SUCCESS DAY - Dress for success by dressing up as the job or career you want to have or Go big and Dress as fancy as you can with a fancy dress or suit!
- 5th Grade Puberty Meeting with Ms. Kinsella, 7:00 - 8:30pm, McCarthy Auditorium
- SUPERHERO DAY - Dress up as your favorite super hero or heroine! From Marvel to Disney, dress as your favorite hero, princess or anyone who helps save the day!
APRIL
Care & Share Collection - Spaghetti
Wednesday, 4/12
- Dunning Parents Night Out, 6:30pm
Friday, 4/14
- Fresh Start Fridays, 8:45 - 9:30am
No School, Patriot's Day
- No School, Spring Recess
Wednesday, 4/26
- April 2023 PTO Meeting, 5:45 - 7:00pm
- Early Release, Parent Conferences, Students are dismissed at 1:05pm. Lunch IS served.
- Family, Friends, and Neighbor Days - No Homework
MCAS Dates
Greetings, Dunning Community!
What's New:
- Attendance Letters
- March Madness at Dunning
- Clothing Drive
- Pasta Dinner - Save the Date
- 5th Grade Puberty Meeting with Ms. Kinsella
- Dunning Parents Night Out
- MCAS
Old News:
- March's Character Trait of the Month is CONFIDENCE
- K-12 Visual Art Show at Framingham Public Library
- Fine and Performing Arts - March Events
- Get Your Dunning Gear
- Photo and Video Opt-Out
- Join Dunning on Remind!
- Food Services Update
- Jane Shapiro Care & Share Program
Important Links:
- Arrival & Dismissal Procedures
- Change in Dismissal Form
- Formulário de mudança de saída
- Formulario para cambiar el plan de salida de la escuela
- Housing Help
- Resources if You Are Struggling to Make Rent or Mortgage Payments
Please do not hesitate to reach out to us at any time to share any questions, concerns, thoughts, or ideas.
Best Regards,
Michele (mschecter@framingham.k12.ma.us)
Kathie (klasky@framingham.k12.ma.us)
Dunning Nurse Update
Until she arrives, the district will do their utmost to ensure that Dunning's medical office is covered.
Attendance Letters
You will be receiving an email with your child's cumulative attendance (absences, tardies, dismissals) for this year. This is purely informational. Often, the number of days that students are absent, tardy, or dismissed early accumulate without parents/guardians realizing how many days have been missed.
March Madness at Dunning
DUNNING PANDAS!!! It's time for some MARCH MADNESS!!!!! In March, NCAA March Madness rules the world, and now Dunning will be bringing its own March Madness with Madness Spirit Days.
- Wednesday, March 22rd, is TEAM DAY. Dress up as your favorite team or group; sports, dance, cheer team or even your favorite music band!
- Moving forward, Wednesday, March 29th is DRESS FOR SUCCESS DAY. Dress for success by dressing up as the job or career you want to have or Go big and Dress as fancy as you can with a fancy dress or suit!
- On Friday, March 31st, we will finish off March Madness Spirit with with SUPERHERO DAY! Dress up as your favorite super hero or heroine! From Marvel to Disney, dress as your favorite hero, princess or anyone who helps save the day!
Get excited for Dunning March Madness! It's going to be a BLAST!!
Pasta Dinner - Save the Date
All of the proceeds from this year’s pasta dinner go to fund our fifth graders’ trips and other end-of-the-year activities. All Dunning families are welcome.
Watch for a signup to book your time at the Dunning Trattoria!
5th Grade Puberty Meeting with Ms. Kinsella
Hi Parents / Guardians!
My name is Ms. Kinsella and I’m the 5th Grade Health Teacher for Framingham Public Schools. It’s my favorite time of year because I am preparing for the 5th grade lessons on puberty in health class. Part of that preparation means hosting a meeting for YOU, the caregivers, so you know what your children will be learning this spring. Please join me for this special, ‘Adult Only’ event!
Wednesday, March 29, 2023
7pm - 8pm
McCarthy Elementary School Cafetorium
Live Spanish and Portuguese Interpretation will be available (headsets)
You can be sure to recall your finest pubescent moments, get reacquainted with where your children are developmentally, and most importantly, get some inspiration on the ways that you can connect with your children as they approach this confusing and complicated time with humor, empathy, and love.
If you cannot attend or you have any questions, please email me: mkinsell@framingham.k12.ma.us.
Hugs and Health,
Ms. Kinsella
5th Grade Health Teacher
Dunning Parents Night Out
April 12th, 6:30pm
Save The Date... and get yourselves a sitter! Join the PTO Board for Dunning Parents Night Out!!
It's been a few years since we've been able to do a parents only get together, so we are very happy to bring this tradition back!! Get to know other parents at Dunning and enjoy a fun night out!!
MCAS
The MCAS (Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System) tests are right around the corner! All students in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in grades 3, 4, and 5 will take MCAS tests in English Language Arts and Math; Grade 5 students will also take Science and Technology tests. Our testing schedule is below.
Parents and caregivers play an important role in helping students give their best performance on this important test. As you know, teachers and students at Dunning School have been busy working hard all year preparing, learning, and reinforcing the content and skills necessary for students to demonstrate their learning on these tests. Even though this assessment is a snapshot--one single perspective--it is important that students feel confident and as prepared as possible. There are many ways in which you can help your child put his/her best foot forward on the day of the test. The following guidelines can help set our students up for success:
The night before the test:
- Make sure your child goes to bed on time so he or she is well-rested.
- Keep your routine as normal as possible. Upsetting natural routines may make children feel anxious or unsure of him/herself.
- Be positive and confident knowing your child will do his/her best.
- Plan ahead to avoid conflicts on the morning of the test.
The morning of the test:
- Please have students leave all cell phones and electronic watches/devices at home. Electronic devices are not allowed during testing time.
- Get up a few minutes early to avoid rushing and make sure your child arrives to school on time.
- Have your child eat a nutritious breakfast (or encourage them to eat when they get to Dunning).
- Have your child dress in comfortable clothes.
- Be positive and communicate that this is your child’s chance to show what he/she knows. The most important thing is they try their very best!
It is important for all students to be IN ATTENDANCE and ON TIME
Thank you for your continued support!
School Hours
Students are welcome to begin arriving at school at 9:00 am, when teachers will be present to greet them.
Early Release Days
- Students are dismissed at 1:05pm.
- Lunch IS served.
- If your child rides the bus, you can expect them to arrive at their stop approximately two and a half hours earlier than normal.
- Early Release Thursdays: 10/13, 10/30, 10/27, 11/10, 12/8, 3/2, 4/27, 5/4, 5/11, 5/18, 5/25
Half Days
- Students are dismissed at 12:30pm.
- Lunch IS NOT served.
- If your child rides the bus, you can expect them to arrive at their stop three hours earlier than normal.
- Half Days: 11/23 and the last day of school.
March's Character Trait of the Month is CONFIDENCE
Dear Families,
The character education theme of the month for March is “Confidence”. We have defined Confidence as feeling sure of yourself and your abilities. When children are confident, they believe in who they are and what they can achieve. Students have been taught the importance of accepting others for their differences and unique qualities; this month students will learn to acknowledge their own individual strengths and abilities and develop the belief that they can accomplish even the most difficult of tasks. Through morning meetings, focused read-alouds, and social emotional learning blocks in their classrooms, students will learn about the importance of accepting themselves, acknowledging their individual strengths, and developing a positive mindset to help them work on areas of their lives that present challenges. All of these actions will help instill a feeling of confidence and pride in their hard work and achievements. Students will develop a growth mindset and an understanding that they can accomplish anything that they set their minds to. Students will learn the importance of positive self talk and perseverance in achieving their goals both large and small. We welcome families to join the conversation with their children to strengthen our students' understanding of and the importance of Confidence!
Get Your Dunning Gear
Adult's and children's sizes!! Sweatshirts, t-shirts, pajama pants and more!! We even have umbrellas and winter hats for those rainy/snowy drop offs and pick ups!
The site is open all year long for ordering, no end date!!
Click HERE for online ordering..
Food Services Update
- Each student can receive a free breakfast AND a free lunch each day at school.
- Beyond the one free breakfast and lunch, additional meals or extra food / beverage items that a student wishes to consume, can ONLY be purchased using funds though MySchoolBucks. Through this platform, caregivers add funds and students can spend those funds only on food items. Learn more about MySchoolBucks and add money today: https://www.framingham.k12.ma.us/Page/2534
- All schools will be cashless. No cash will be accepted at any school, so you must make a MySchoolBucks account and add funds if you want you student(s) to buy anything extra. Again, all first meals at breakfast and lunch are free, this only applies to second meals and a la cart purchases.
Jane Shapiro Care & Share Program
The Jane Shapiro Care and Share began in 1995 as a Dunning School community service project. Each month a specific food item is collected at the school to help keep A Place to Turn's shelves stocked. Donations are gathered up by the students and then with help from staff, they are delivered to A Place to Turn.
- April: Spaghetti
- May: Juice Boxes
- June: Tuna Fish
Community Meeting Video Links
October Community Meeting: Staff/Respect
December Community Meeting: 1st Grade/Responsibility
February Community Meeting: 3rd Grade/Compassion
March Community Meeting: Kindergarten/Confidence
April Community Meeting: 2nd Grade/Determination
May Community Meeting: 4th Grade/Cooperation
June Community Meeting: 5th Grade/Pride
Visit the Dunning Website
Join the Dunning PTO FB Page
If you are not already a member, please join the PTO FB page. It is a great way to stay connected with the Dunning Community! www.facebook.com/groups/228212977304928/?ref=bookmarks