Dolvin Diary

Hello Dolvin Families!

March tends to be a very busy time of year in the schools! We are working hard to meet the needs of our students and make sure our 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students are ready for Milestones, which is right around the corner. More information about Milestones will be forthcoming but those testing dates are April 30th through May 8th.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to a member of the administrative team. The first point of contact should always be your child’s teacher.

Mrs. Allison Polaski- Instruction Support Teacher (IST), polaski@fultonschools.org

• Mrs. Polaski coordinates programs and service delivery for our special education students. Questions about special education services at Dolvin should be addressed to the IST.

Mrs. Amber Fisher- School Counselor, fishera@fultonschools.org

• Mrs. Fisher works with school personnel to foster a positive learning environment for our students. She provides classroom guidance instruction and works with students individually and in small groups as needed. Mrs. Fisher is the 504 chair.

Mrs. Jennifer Shaffer- Administrative Assistant, shafferj@fultonschools.org

• Mrs. Shaffer coordinates and leads SST meetings.

Mrs. Carrie Halron- Curriculum Support Teacher (CST), halron@fultonschools.org

• Mrs. Halron is the point of contact for questions regarding curriculum, continuous achievement, and class placements.

Mrs. Shelley Noles- Literacy Coach, noless@fultonschools.org

• Mrs. Noles supports teachers with collecting, analyzing and interpreting data to guide instructional decisions.

Mrs. Robyn Boateng- Assistant Principal, boatengr@fultonschools.org

• Mrs. Boateng oversees student information (Infinite Campus, Parent Portal), grading, standardized testing, discipline, and transportation.

If further assistance is still needed, contact the principal, Mr. Andy Stein, steina@fultonschools.org

Thank you,

Andy Stein

We encourage your involvement in our student placement process for the 2025-2026 school year. Your input it is one of several pieces of information we use to place your child in an appropriate classroom setting. Parents can click on this link to provide information you feel will be relevant in helping place your child at Dolvin for the 25-26 school year.

Please note that we do not honor requests for specific teachers, so please refrain from using teacher names on the form. Responses will be collected until April 4, 2025. If you have any questions reach out to Carrie Halron at Halron@fultonschools.org.

GaDOE has partnered with Tutored by Teachers to offer free virtual reading classes for 3rd graders and young readers! These engaging virtual reading classes are designed to help your students succeed on the Georgia Milestones. Sign up today! Classes are Monday, April 14th - Thursday, 17th with two evening options (5pm and 7pm).

Get ready for our annual Dolvin "Splash Into Kindergarten" event! 🌟 Join us on Friday, April 25th from 9:00-10:00 AM for an exciting morning. Parents of rising Dolvin Kindergartners will receive valuable information about Dolvin and Fulton County Schools. Future Kindergartners will meet the Kindergarten team, explore a school bus, playground, and classrooms, enjoy a story in the Media Center, and participate in the official Dolvin Kindergarten Signing Event! 🎉

Spread the word to neighbors and friends with rising Kindergartners. We can't wait to help you Splash Into Kindergarten at Dolvin! 🚀

We encourage your involvement in our student placement process for the 2025-2026 school year. Your input it is one of several pieces of information we use to place your child in an appropriate classroom setting. Parents can click on this link to provide information you feel will be relevant in helping place your child for the 25-26 school year.

Please note that we do not honor requests for specific teachers, so please refrain from using teacher names on the form. Responses will be collected March 6 - April 4, 2025. If you have any questions reach out to Carrie Halron at Halron@fultonschools.org

We are thrilled to announce that Career Week is just around the corner, starting on March 31st! This exciting week will be packed with fun and educational activities for our students.

A few highlights include:

🐬 Presentations from TWO successful Shark Tank alums from the Dolvin family.

🚚 Touch a Truck: Get up close and personal with some amazing vehicles and learn about the careers that keep them running!

🎤 5th Graders Present Careers: Watch our talented 5th graders showcase their knowledge and passion for various careers.

💼 Mock Interviews: Experience real-life interview scenarios, helping students build confidence and prepare for their future careers.

💻 A Digital Hub for additional resources and activities for career exploration.

🎟 An end-of-week drawing for awesome prizes for each grade!

Stay tuned for more details in your teacher newsletters and the Dolvin Diary. We're looking forward for a great week of learning and fun!🌟

We are thrilled to announce that our Media Center will undergo a major renovation this summer! To prepare for this exciting transformation, all books are due by March 28th. Please also note that book checkout will be closed for the rest of the year to ensure all books are returned and packed up in shelf order.

The new Media Center will be more than just a library! It will also be a vibrant collaboration hub for students, a Makerspace area where students can be creative, and a technology hub that drives student learning and practice of 21st century digital skills.

Additional Resources

If you would like to pay for a lost book, please click here and enter the book name and amount. For questions regarding this, contact Jenn Culbertson at culbertsonj@fultonschools.org.

Kindly remember that students can access eBooks through Sora and TumbleBooks which are on Classlink. The Fulton County Library is also a great resource for students!

Stay tuned for more updates and thank you for your cooperation and support.

We are now accepting applications for the 2025-2026 school year!!!

If your child is currently a student at Dolvin and will attend next year, you do not need to register.

If you have an existing student and want to add a younger sibling, please go through your parent portal. Click on More/Online Registration/Existing Family Registration/Next Year 2025-2026 to get started. You must contact Lisa Carper at carper@fultonschools.org with your application number.

If your child is transferring within the Fulton County School system, please go to your parent portal. Click on More/Online Registration/Existing Family Registration/Next Year 2025-2026 to complete an In-System Transfer. Contact both schools with the application number.

Should you wish to withdraw your student as they will not be attending a Fulton County School next year, please contact the school so we can officially withdraw the student.

We have a very strong group of students who participate in KidChess here at Dolvin and the results are showing!

At the recent GCA Team Championship, the Dolvin chess team came in 6th place in the state for the K-5 group! Impressively, everyone took a 1st round Win, giving Dolvin a good lead. Let’s congratulate the following students:

Jeremy X.

Milo S.

Ocean H.

Aryan K.

Mohan I.

Sagar B.

Maxwell X.

Well done!

The Federal Programs Department is holding our district Federal Programs Input Meeting. We are requesting parent, community, and staff input into how we spend our federal grant funds (Title I, II, III, IV, and IDEA) and our District Parent and Family Engagement Plan.

The meetings are scheduled to take place on Microsoft Teams. The meeting dates are:

March 25th at 9:00 am Join here: Input Meeting 1, and

March 26th at 1:00 pm Join here: Input Meeting 2 .

Your input is essential, and we value your feedback.

The declaration period for parents and teachers interested in running for a position on their SGCs is now open, running from February 3rd to March 28th. It’s essential that each school garner at least two parents and two teachers to run for council positions.

Key Action Steps:

• Visit our Elections website to see how many council seats are open at your school and review the requirements for candidacy.
• Submit the Candidate Declaration Form via the website.

Election Voting: Voting will take place in April, and more information about the process will be shared soon.

Access More Information Here: SGC Elections Website

As a reminder, the candidate declaration window for our SGC parent and teacher elections is open! This is a fantastic opportunity for parents and teachers to get involved in the strategic work at our schools and make a meaningful impact. The Candidate Declaration window is now open and will run until March 28th.

With over 250 seats available, we encourage all interested parents and teachers to declare their candidacy by visiting the Charter System website’s Elections page. This site also provides details on the number of open seats at schools and the requirements for candidacy. Voting will take place in April, and we will provide additional information about the process soon.

Candidate Declaration Link:

https://fultonschools.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bKQw8Bu9jVMt78O

Ms. Palgon's Art News - March 2025

Dolvin Parent Book Club

March Book: The Worry-Free Parent

Discussion Date: Friday, March 28

9AM | ROOM 201

No commitment necessary. Want to read? Want to discuss? Just read and show up. We’d love to have you!

Questions? holladaym@fultonschools.org

Mayor John Bradberry and the City of Johns Creek invite elementary, middle, and high school students in the city to join in showing us your art creations.

Johns Creek’s Mayor wants to help students showcase what they love about their school! Participants submit 2D art pieces that can be paintings, drawings, multimedia, photography, or digital illustrations.

How it works:

1. Theme: “What Makes My School Special” Create a masterpiece inspired by your school, teachers, fellow students, school community, building, etc.
2. Digitize your file by taking a (horizontal) picture or scanning it.
3. Submit your work using the form below.
4. Art Due: Monday, April 14, 2025.

A variety of submissions may be featured on the City’s social media channels and website. The winning selections (one each from an elementary, middle, and high school student) will be selected by Mayor Bradberry, and recognized at a future City Council meeting.

Mayor’s Initiatives – Johns Creek

Spanish Workshop Link

Join the meeting now

Join the meeting now

Join the meeting now

Dear Dolvin Elementary School,

Thank you for your continued support of Be THE Voice!

We are thrilled to announce that, in collaboration with our longstanding partner, UGA Football, we are offering a unique "UGA Football Experience" as part of our auction on Friday, March 21st. This exclusive opportunity is not typically available to the public and is generously hosted by our contact within UGA Football.

UGA Football Experience Details:

• Facility Tour: Explore the UGA Football facility, including locker rooms, dining areas, meeting rooms, coach offices, indoor practice field, and weight room.
• Photo Opportunity: Capture a moment with the SEC and National Championship trophies.
• Player Interaction: Potential chance encounters with players during the tour.

Additionally, we will be auctioning a signed football by UGA Football Coach Kirby Smart.

Event Details:

• Date & Time: Friday, March 21st, 6:30 PM – 10:30 PM
• Attire: Dress to impress in whatever makes you feel your best!

• Entertainment: Enjoy live music from an exceptional singing duo known for their powerful vocals and engaging performances.

To purchase your tickets, please visit our website at https://www.be-the-voice.org/10-year-gala.

We encourage you to secure your tickets soon, as the ordering process will close in a few weeks. Please feel free to forward this invitation to anyone who might enjoy attending and supporting BTV.

We look forward to celebrating a decade of kindness with you!

We welcome and greatly appreciate our volunteers at Dolvin! If you would like to be a volunteer, you must complete the Volunteer Registration Application prior to volunteering. For volunteer information and frequently asked questions on the Fulton County Schools website, click HERE.

Please follow the link below to access the FCS Volunteer Registration page.

https://www.fultonschools.org/all-departments/human-resources/badging/register-as-a-supervised-volunteer/volunteer-application-form

Important - All Visitors and Volunteers must remember to bring in their driver’s license each time they sign in. The license will be scanned each time. Thank you.

Meal prices for the 2024 - 2025 school year

School Menus

Free and Reduced Lunch Application

March 21

All Pro Dad Meeting - 7:00 a.m.

Virtual Parent Meeting - 9:-00 a.m.

April 4

Spirit Day

April 7 - 11

Spring Break (schools closed)

April 18

All Pro Dad Meeting - 7:00 a.m.

Virtual Parent Coffee - 9:-00 a.m.

April 25

Splash Into Kindergarten

Family Fun Night

April 30 - May 8

Georgia Milestones Assessment (3rd, 4th & 5th grades)

Dolvin Website: dolvin.org

Dolvin PTA Website: dolvinpta.membershiptoolkit.com

Dolvin PTA Email: dolvinpta@gmail.com

Dolvin Foundation Website: dolvinfoundation.org

Teacher's blogs

Twitter (X): Follow us at @DolvinES

Dolvin Diary - A new issue comes out the first and third Thursday of the month. Please read to keep up with current events at the school.

Peachjar: Occasional flyers are sent home via Peachjar.

LED Sign: Located on the corner of Buice Road and Jones Bridge Road.

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NEW! Purchase Tickets for the "Atlanta United Hosts Dolvin!" match against Cincinatti [May 25]

Purchase Tickets for Family Fun Night [Apr 25]

Volunteer for Family Fun Night [Apr 25] *

All Pro Dads Sign up to Grill at Family Fun Night [Apr 25] *

Volunteer for 2nd Grade Lunch Bunch [Next Meeting - Mar 27] *

Volunteer for 3rd Grade Lunch Bunch [Next Meeting - Mar 24] *

Volunteer for 4th Grade Lunch Bunch [Next Meeting - Mar 26] *

Volunteer for 5th Grade Lunch Bunch [Next Meeting - Mar 25] *

All Pro Dad [Next Meeting – Mar 21]

Kids Care [Next Meeting – Apr 1] *

Purchase a Yearbook

Submit Photos to Yearbook

Purchase PTA Membership

What an amazing FUNdraiser we had this year! We are beyond grateful to everyone in our DolvINcredible community that contributed - because of you, the school's final total was just over $50,000! We had an amazing 90% of students sign up to raise funds, and 66% of Dolvin students received donations - WOW! As a reward for exceeding our goal, students enjoyed a Rock ‘n Roll Lunch on Feb. 20th to celebrate. They had a blast with the music and lights punching up their lunchtime - especially our VIP classes, who got to enjoy it from the stage!

A few more results to report:

Nightly Challenge Winners:

Pie the Principals: Hillam & Helenbrook

Chipmunk Karaoke: Brewer & Helenbrook

Maker Space Recess: White

Mummify the Principals: Warmack & Hillam

Extra Recess: 4th Grade

Top Participating Classes by Grade (received Glow Glasses on Event Day): PK/K-Hemmann,1st-Lloyd, 2nd-Hillam, 3rd-Jensen, 4th-Bullard, 5th-Morgan

Top $ Classes by Grade (VIP seating for Rock 'n Roll lunch): PK/K-Shean,1st-Brewer, 2nd-Hillam, 3rd-Jensen, 4th-Bullard, 5th-Morgan

Top $ Class in School: Mr. Bullard's 4th grade...congrats on winning the "Discovery Lab: Special Edition" activity! Details coming soon!

And as a special thank you, our Top 10 Fundraising students will get a certificate and a photo with the Principals next week!

To celebrate our 5th graders' academic achievements, we're coordinating with sponsors to offer some unique mementos - special class t-shirts and yard signs! The Foundation is providing shirts to all 5th graders for FREE, thanks to the amazing support of Dolvin community business, A2Z Financial Services! Shirts are expected to arrive by the end of March.

Yard signs will soon be available to order online at the school's OSP site (stay tuned). The Foundation and its sponsor Sign Greeters are helping to provide these 18x24" signs at an affordable price so every 5th grade parent can show their Dolvin & Autrey Mill pride! Standard signs will be just $6, and personalized signs will be $12 - see design mock-ups below.

Foundation is always busy! In January, we co-hosted an amazing STEM Night for 3rd-5th grade families with the PTA. We had roughly a dozen different activities, including Mrs. Razzolini's "STEMonstration Station", to get the kids interested in different STEM fields and subjects. Families learned about sound waves, electricity, physics, weather, engineering, and more through fun activities. We even had an independent student Lego robotics presentation to share, including a student-created video game and 3D printed game pieces. (Soon after, they went on to win their competition - go Team Turtlebots!) We hope you'll all join us for STEM Night next year!

The cafeteria Sound Cloud project still continues...it has been a difficult path, but the end is in sight! This project will be installed in two phases - the first will include wall-mounted fabric-covered sound dampening panels, arranged in a beautiful ombre design to mimic the sky and sea. Phase 2 will include the ceiling-mounted sound-dampening foam clouds to complete the look and function of the installation. Once complete, we'll obtain new sound readings to measure echo and volume in the newly treated space, to compare to our starting measurements - we can't wait to share the results!

In February (in addition to all things Glow Dance!), we finalized the purchase & distribution of the bluetooth screen adapters for all teachers and conference rooms at Dolvin. These little gadgets, provided with Fall Direct Giving funds, are very handy for casting to screens at school. (Big thanks to Jenn Shaffer for creating the "how to" video to get everyone trained!) In combination with the mobile desks provided by PTA, our classrooms have really leveled-up!

Foundation also recently funded the renewal of the Generation Genius software used throughout the school for educational videos, discussion questions, vocabulary, and quizzes on math and science topics.

We've also been hard at work with PTA and school staff on the upcoming Career Week, Mar 31 - Apr 4. There are so many amazing activities and resources planned, kids are sure to get excited about all the possibilities for their future!

We also collaborated with PTA this month on their Garden Refresh project - PTA provided new timbers for the beds and mulch for the pathways, and Foundation provided fresh soil for the beds. Now they're all ready for spring planting with the Discovery Lab classes!

And last but not least - Foundation and PTA have been working together on an exciting new collaboration, the Dolvin Elementary PTO. As mentioned in Mr. Stein's recent email, the PTO will be the single, unified parent organization for Dolvin going forward in the 2025-2026 school year, representing the best of both current organizations. While our groups may be evolving, all Foundation funds carried forward will still be reserved and used for their originally intended purposes. We are looking forward to this new partnership and all the benefits it will bring to Dolvin students and families!