Dolvin Diary

Dear Dolvin Families –

It’s hard to believe that today is the letter “P” on the ABC Countdown! The school year is quickly winding down.

Tomorrow is the last day of Milestones testing for our students. After that, we will be doing makeups for any students who missed a section. Huge thank yous go to Mr. Stein for his organization and management of the assessment, to the staff members who tested, proctored, troubleshot technology, and were hallway monitors, AND to our amazing third, fourth and fifth grade students who came each day and did their best on the assessment. Well done everyone!

On Wednesday, May 15, Dolvin will host our Board member Kristin McCabe’s Community Meeting in the Media Center. The meeting will begin at 9:30 a.m. I encourage all parents and interested community members to attend.

Stay dry!

Karen

State law requires FCS to allow voting in their facilities when requested by the Fulton County Department of Registrations and Elections. The calendar parameters the Board approved in October 2023 state that Fulton County Schools will utilize remote learning for state/national elections or other emergencies. Therefore, the Board voted to adjust the current school year calendar to make May 21 a remote day for students as it is a state election day. The district administration is working with schools to create alternative plans for student activities already scheduled at schools that will be polling sites. See the updated calendar here.

From: https://childmind.org/article/strategies-for-a-successful-summer-break/

Maintain your schedule

While you may never be able to duplicate the structure school provides, it helps to maintain the school year’s daily schedule, right down to meal times and bedtime, as much as possible. It can be very tempting to let your kids stay up late and sleep in—especially on weekends, when you want to do the same—but in the long run, sticking to the same schedule pays off by keeping your child more comfortable, and more likely to be more cooperative.

Make plans

Try to schedule as many activities as possible, as early as possible, and keep your kids posted. This can mean anything from “we’re going to Aunt Mary’s Thursday at 5pm for dinner” to having a set routine that every day, weather permitting, you’ll be going to the playground or pool. Even one such activity can give kids a center of gravity, so to speak, around which the rest of the day can be structured.

Get outdoors

Home can become a safe cocoon, but no child should spend hours in front of a screen. Some parents sign kids up for camp to keep a routine and structure in their child’s day. Even if camp isn’t in the cards, try to find something your child enjoys—riding a bike or scooter, playing tag, or splashing at the community pool, water park, or beach—and do it.

Plus, physical activity is good for everyone’s mind, body and spirit, especially those kids with energy to burn.

Please hold on to your carpool numbers over the summer. Current students will keep the same carpool numbers next year that they had this year. Only NEW students will be issued a new carpool number next year. Thanks so much for your cooperation.

It is a requirement of Fulton County Schools that all students entering kindergarten and second grade must present in person current proof of residency documents. Below is a list of acceptable items. We started with rising kindergarten students earlier this year and appreciate those that have already turned their paperwork in. We are now needing the rising second grade students' parents to bring in their proof of residency.

Please come between the hours of 7:15 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. If you are unable to stop by, you may send them in with your child and we will return them to you. We must have these documents prior to the end of this school year.

You must present two items from the below list:

Water or Electric bill (gas, phone, cable are not accepted)

AND one of the following:

Home Mortgage Statement

Home Sale Contract

Current Apartment/House Lease signed by both parties

Current HOA Bill

Current year tax bill or assessment

If you plan to move and will not be returning to Dolvin for the next school year, please let us know. We can walk you through a very easy withdrawal process.

This year, our Dolvin Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl club included more than 50 participants in grades 4 and 5! These students were passionate about reading and inspired a love for books in each other and their classmates.

Our Team competed against 30+ elementary schools from around the district in late January and scored 5th place!! These results are outstanding and directly reflect the hard work and dedication of all our team members throughout the year.

As we get ready for another Helen Ruffin season this fall, we hope that your rising 4th or 5th grader will join us and help foster a passion for reading within our school community!

Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl Team for 2024-2025

• Next August, 4th and 5th graders can apply to be a part of the Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl team for 2024-2025.
• Participants are required to read at least 6 books by January, but are encouraged to read all 10.
• Book Lists for next year are available in the Media Center now.
• Media Center Helen Ruffin books will be available for checkout until 5/17. They will be available again in August to students who join.

Dolvin's Tech Team (now Dolvin News Network) was responsible for producing, writing, anchoring, and directing 180 days of morning news for the Dolvin community this year! That is quite an accomplishment. Throughout the year these students have learned public speaking skills, journalism basics, and task management as well as countless technology skills within editing software and the Microsoft 365 Suite. We are so proud of our members for their hard work and dedication this year and for the reputation they have built for our Dolvin News Network around the district!

We are currently accepting applications for rising 3rd and 4th graders to build next year's news crew! Please see the included information for instructions on how to apply.

Tech Team Applications Are LIVE

• Tech Team (now Dolvin News Network) is accepting applications now through Sunday, May 5th at 11:59 PM.
• Dolvin News Network is our student-run morning news program here at Dolvin.
• Rising 4th and 5th grade students who enjoy technology and are interested in TV production, writing, and journalism should apply.
• Applications are posted here: Team 1 — Dolvin Media Center

As we approach the end of the year, please take note of the following changes for the Media Center!

• Students with overdue books will no longer be able to check out new books beginning Monday, April 15th, until they have brought their overdue books.
• Last day for K - 2 book checkout is Friday, May 3rd.
• Last day for 3-5 book checkout is Friday, May 10th.

Please remind students to bring books back to the MC when they are finished reading them. We are starting our inventory process and love to see our books come back!!

All student books are due back by May 17th.

Please see the attached PDF flyer from FCS Instructional Technology with information on Virtual Creativity Days which is free for FCS students.

Dear Dolvin Families -

I wanted to share an exciting opportunity for you to become a vital member of our school and cluster staff. How? By becoming a school bus driver for our school and our cluster at Dolvin Elementary School.

I’ve provided the QR code that will take you to the website to apply to be our bus driver. There are many benefits, besides being a vital staff member, to becoming a school bus driver. Here are a few:

· Enjoy paid in-house training to earn your CDL

· Your workdays are the same as your child’s schedule

· Time off for holidays and summers

· Time off between your AM and PM route

· Excellent benefits include medical, vision, dental, and retirement packages

· Starting pay with no experience is $22.52

· Experience driving with CDL = more money

I urge you to consider being a school bus driver for our school and cluster. If you have any additional questions about becoming our bus driver, please call Ms. Heide Prouse at 470-254-0386 or email prouse@fultonschools.org.

I know that our community can lead the charge to make sure our school and our cluster have the school bus drivers we need to provide safe and on-time service to and from school for our students. I appreciate your support!

Sincerely,

Karen Cooke

All parents whose students have medications in the clinic must sign in and pick up medications in person. Both prescription and non-prescription medications are not permitted to be sent home in the student's backpack. All medications must be picked up before 3:00 p.m. on May 23rd. Failure to do so will result in the medications being discarded. For additional information please contact our clinic assistant Ariel Lochner at 470 254 9281. Thank you.

Students new to Dolvin can now register for the 2024-2025 School Year! Please have your documents ready to upload in PDF format prior to starting registration. Visit https://www.fultonschools.org/domain/3969 for complete instructions. Remember that once the application is submitted you must contact Lisa Carper at carper@fultonschools.org with the application number.

Existing Dolvin students do not need to register as they will automatically be placed into the next school year. However, if you are not returning to Dolvin for the fall, please let us know! There is an easy withdrawal process.

Please share this information with your neighbors that may have rising kindergarteners!

Mrs. Palgon's Art News - May 2024

Sign up for 2024-25 school year Heritage Board today!

https://forms.office.com/r/E6x3Lpp2xw

Congratulations to the Dolvin Dolphins! After several hard-fought battles between over 60 school chess teams, Dolvin placed 5th in the K-2 section of the Kid Chess Championship! We are so proud of everyone who came out to play this weekend at Chess Zone.

Summit counseling will be offering summer groups free of charge to all students. Please feel free to sign up as soon as possible as space is filling up at the website.

It is with great pleasure in a long-time community tradition that we announce the 32nd Annual Taste of Alpharetta will take place Thursday, May 9, from 5-10 p.m.

Please see the attached document for IMPORTANT ROAD CLOSURE INFORMATION.

As of January 3, 2024, Fulton County Schools is utilizing the CheckMate Sign-In system to welcome visitors and volunteers into our schools. CheckMate has replaced the Raptor system. Unfortunately, the Volunteer Registration system did not roll over into the new system and all School Volunteers will need to re-register. Any task that will allow you to interact with students will require you to register as a Volunteer. The new re-registration will be effective until May 31, 2026. We appreciate your understanding and apologize for any inconvenience. Please follow the link below to access the FCS Volunteer Registration page.

https://www.fultonschools.org/Page/9539

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 for your patience as we are implementing this new safety procedure.

· Staff and students are to report positive COVID-19 test results through their respective COVID portals.

· The FCS COVID-19 Response Team will investigate all reports in consultation with public health officials.

Scan the QR Code or click HERE to report a positive COVID-19 test for a FCS Student

Meal prices for the 2023 - 2024 school year

School Menus

Free and Reduced Lunch Application

April 29 - May 10

Georgia Milestones Testing Window

May 16

Field Day

May 17

All Pro Dad Meeting 7:00 a.m. - 7:30 a.m.

May 20 - May 23

Unleash the Lions

May 21

Remote Day for Students

May 22

End-of-Year Class Parties 3 - 5

May 23

End-of-Year Class Parties PK - 2

May 23

Last Day of School

August 5

First Day of School

Dolvin Website: dolvin.org

Dolvin PTA Website: dolvinpta.org

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: Various flyers are sent home via Peachjar.

Dolvin-specific flyers come to your inbox on Thursdays. All can be viewed following the link

on the homepage at dolvin.org or click HERE.

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

**********************

Hello Dolvin Community!

Dolvin is in need of volunteers for Field Day 2024 on Tuesday, May 14th (rain day Thursday, May 16th). 40+ volunteers are needed to make field day a success! Please sign up to help out if you can! It's such a fun event! Sign up here:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A054CA9A62EA4FD0-49100981-dolvin#/

Parents, it's time to buy your 1st Day School Supplies. I know it seems early, but before you know it, summer will be here. It's important you order your supplies before it's too late or supplies run out. Start the school year with the exact supplies your teacher requested, and give your child the confidence they need to conquer next year! Get them today before it's too late!

All orders must be placed before July 1st to guarantee delivery before the start of school. Kits are delivered right to your door.

Here's the link to purchase: https://1stdayschoolsupplies.com/kits.php?sid=27421

If you have not yet purchased your 2023-2024 Dolvin Yearbooks, there is still time, but there are only a limited number available, so make sure to purchase yours today!

Click here to make your purchase

WOW! What a great year we’ve had here at Dolvin. We cannot believe that this school year is already coming to a close. We want to take this opportunity to thank all the families and friends that have supported the Dolvin Foundation throughout the year. Your generosity is what makes our school community and Foundation so successful!

To recap all the amazing things the Foundation has done this year:

1. Finished installation of the Playground Marking Project with EduMarkingUSA.
2. Raised just over $60,000 for the school and the Discovery Lab through the Boosterthon Fun Run!
3. Provided every student with a FREE Dolvin Foundation T-shirt to wear for spirit days and field trips.
4. Met with vendors to plan for the upcoming Sound Cloud Project funded by our Direct Giving campaign!
5. Purchased and provided numerous supplemental and educational resources for all students at Dolvin Elementary School including:

• Playground equipment for each classroom
• Educational Software subscriptions: BreakoutEDU, Flocabulary, and Generational Genuis
• Sound Meters for the Discovery Lab Sound Unit
• Upcoming Author Visit on May 20th
• Continuation of the 2024-2025 Discovery Lab Funding
• AND MORE!

We also have big plans and some work to do over the summer! Check out these two ways to get involved and support the Dolvin Foundation to help kickstart success for next year! Please email dolvinesfoundation@gmail.com today if either of these items interest you!

1. Looking to partner with corporate sponsors for the 2024-2025 school year! If you have a company interested in becoming a corporate sponsor of the Dolvin Foundation, please email today!
2. Requesting volunteers to help with annual maintenance of the new Playground Markings! We will be doing a pressure washing day in July. Be looking for more communication on this event and email today if you know you would be willing to help over the summer!

The JCHS girls' Basketball and Volleyball programs are running multiple community camps this summer to build skills and sports awareness for elementary and middle school girls– come see our talent and let us build yours! Join us this summer!

Registration for the JCHS Cheerleading Mini Camp 2024 is OPEN!! Please see the attached flyer with QR code for the link to register

Summer is just around the corner and the students need a variety of activities to do! Start summer break off right with the JCHS Drama Camp. Hosted by JCHS Drama Students and their director, Debbie Prost.

Registration now open at CAMP 2024 — JCHS THEATRE. Book by May 17th to get discounted pricing!

Dates: May 29th-31st

Time: 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.