Dryden Community Schools Newsletter
Small town attention. World class education.
2021 Summer Edition
Superintendent's Message
Congratulations to the Dryden Junior/Senior High School Class of 2021!
The 140th Commencement was held on June 6, 2021, and 38 seniors received their diplomas. We are extraordinarily proud of the challenges this year's graduates have conquered; quarantines, social distancing, mask wearing, and the loss of multiple high school events have resulted in a senior year unlike any ever experienced, yet our students overcame each of these with determination.
Knowing that the Class of 2021 has faced these issues and succeeded nonetheless is a certain indicator of their future achievements, as we are sure that no other challenge will keep them from reaching their goals. Thank you to our Dryden families who entrust us with their greatest blessings, and best wishes to this year's graduates!
Yours in Education,
Mary Finnigan
Superintendent
2021-2022 Dryden Community Schools Calendar
Pending School Board approval on June 14, 2021
SCHOOL OF CHOICE
The School of Choice window is now open through August 26, 2021. Applications MUST be submitted by August 26 to either the High School or Elementary School secretaries. School of Choice applications can be found on our website at https://www.drydenschools.org/page/school-of-choice. Please feel free to contact Lori Hall at lhall@dryden.k12.mi.us or 810-448-4090 for more information.
IMMUNIZATIONS
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 Monday, August 23, 2021. If you have any further questions, please contact Lori Hall at 810-448-4090 or at lhall@dryden.k12.mi.us
Dryden Junior/Senior High School News
Dear Cardinal Families,
As the 2020-2021 school year comes to a close, we thank you for your patience and grace over the last 16 months. Nothing we faced this year was easy, but we couldn't have succeeded without you!
This summer we will be asking you to participate in a survey about next year's learning plans. Please take the time to answer the questions thoughtfully, as we will be using the survey results to map out the 2021-2022 school year.
The last three days of school (June 14-16) are half days. The schedule can be found below.
Have a wonderful summer!
Warmly,
Mary Finnigan
Dryden Junior/Senior High School Principal
Counselor's Corner
Dryden Early College Academy Enrollment
OPPORTUNITIES WITH SIX HIGHER EDUCATION PARTNERS!
Dryden Elementary News
Dear Cardinal Families,
I want to acknowledge and thank all of the students, parents, teachers, and staff who have worked so hard and shown great patience and understanding toward each other over this past school year. It’s not been easy for anyone but working together we have achieved a lot.
With that in mind, summer is right around the corner and with that comes a much needed summer vacation. Students and parents and teachers may all dream of sleeping in and sun-soaked days on the beach. However, if you think that for students summer should be a time filled with all play and no work, you may want to listen to the following facts.
• According to the U.S. Department of Education, children lose as much as 25% of their reading skills during the summertime.
• According to the Johns Hopkins University Center for Summer Learning, on average students lose approximately 2.6 months worth of math skills each and every summer.
• According to the National Summer Learning Association (NSLA), students score lower on standardized tests at the end of summer vacation than they do on the same tests at the beginning.
This phenomenon is known as the summer learning loss or “summer slide”. Students who fall victim to the summer learning loss slip further and further below their grade level year after year and most likely continue to lag behind their peers throughout high school, college, and even into adulthood.
To help prevent this, your child will pick books to take home with them to read over the summer. Once those are read, your child can swap them out in our little library in front of the school. They can also check out books from the Dryden Public Library.
I recently read this quote and it’s so true. “We expect that athletes and musicians would see their performance suffer without practice, well, the same is true of students.” - Ron Fairchild, founding CEO of The National Summer Learning Association.
Here’s to a great summer of reading!
Sincerely,
Karen Roys
Principal
Dryden Elementary
Source: Department of Education, Parent Engagement Newsletter, Summer 2014.
For more information or to register for the Cardinal Early Learning Academy, click here:
https://www.drydencardinalacademy.com/
Kelly Fuerst
Central Administrator
Cardinal Early Learning Academy
From the Assistant Principal/Athletic Director
We have enjoyed three modified sports seasons this year and are looking forward to a “Normal” Fall Sports season.
Please remember all students interested in playing sports in the 2021-2022 school year will need the following on file in the office prior to playing.
A physical on file PRIOR to any conditioning/practicing. The form can be picked up at the HS office or printed from the MHSAA website. (https://www.mhsaa.com/Schools/Forms-Resources)
A signed concussion form. This form is part of the back-to-school paperwork and will be available online.
Our coaches have been informed of and will continue to utilize the safety protocols and guidelines set forth by the CDC and MHSAA. For all summer out-of-season indoor activities, face masks are required for all non-vaccinated individuals at all times. If your student is vaccinated, please provide a copy to the office for their file.
Just a reminder that ALL student-athletes must have BOTH a physical and concussion form on file in the office in order to participate.
Each student-athlete must take a practice card signed from the office to your first official day of practice. This card will verify that you are eligible to play and have the necessary paperwork on file in the office. You will not be allowed to try out/practice without this card. If you have any questions about athletics, please visit our page: https://www.dryden.k12.mi.us/page/athletics.
All High School sports practices/tryouts will begin as follows for the 2021-2022 School Year:
Fall Sports
Aug 9
Football*
Cross Country
Volleyball
Boys Soccer*
Football Sideline Cheer*
Winter Sports
Nov 8
Girls Basketball
Competitive Cheer
Nov 15
Boys Basketball
Basketball Sideline Cheer
Bowling
Spring Sports
Mar 14
Baseball
Golf
Softball
Track
Girls Soccer*
(* Cooperative with Imlay City)
Coaches will host conditioning & summer workouts throughout July. Please check out the Dryden Community Schools and Dryden Athletic Boosters Facebook pages for more details.
We also provide the following Junior High Sports for students in grades 6-8 throughout the school year.
FALL Sports will start on the first day of school
Cross Country
Volleyball
WINTER Sports
Basketball
Girls: Nov-Dec
Boys: Jan-Feb
SPRING Sports will start after Spring Break
Track
Baseball (7th & 8th only)
Softball (7th & 8th only-hoping to start this season)
As always, Go Cardinals!
Ms. Loraine Brinker
Assistant Principal/Athletic Director
#PROUDCardinal
Dryden Community Schools School Board Meeting Schedule
June 14, 2021
July 12, 2021
August 9, 2021
September 13, 2021
All meetings begin at 7:00 p.m.,
will be held in the Dryden High School Library,
and are open to the public.
Dryden Community Schools 2020-21 Calendar
Dryden Community Schools
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@dryden.k12.mi.us
Website: www.dryden.k12.mi.us
Location: 3866 Rochester Road, Dryden, MI, USA
Phone: 810-796-9534
Facebook: facebook.com/DrydenCommunitySchools
Twitter: @DrydenSchools