Dublin Times
March 5, 2021
Our Walled Lake and Dublin Purpose
Every Child, Every Day is our intentional commitment to creating a safe and inclusive culture and community where we:
- Prioritize instruction
- Foster meaningful relationships
- Value and empower each learner
- Create growth opportunities for all
The purpose of Dublin Elementary School is to develop academic and social LEADERS who are lifelong LEARNERS.
Upcoming Important Dates...
March 8 - Picture Retake Day
March 10 - Virtual Meet and Greet with Ms. Bigi, 5-7 PM
March 11-12 - Asynchronous Learning Days (Students will learn from home on these days. Lessons will be posted in Google Classroom)
March 15 - New Learning Paths Begin
March 16 - 1/2 Day for Students, dismissal begins at 12:00
March 19 - Virtual Bingo Night, 6:30 PM
March 29 - April 2 - Spring Break
Asynchronous Learning Days
Please note that Thursday, March 11 and Friday, March 12 are now asynchronous learning days. Classroom teachers will be preparing their classrooms for the changes resulting from our most current path selection outcomes.
Teachers will post lessons and activities in their Google Classrooms. There will be no live teaching and in-person learners do not report to school on these days. Our normal schedule will resume on Monday, March 15.
PTA Bingo Night!
Picture Retakes
We will be offering a picture retake day on Monday, March 8. In-person students wanting retakes will have their pictures taken during school. Our Path and My Path students can sign up for a time from 5-7 PM using this Sign-up Genius.
Rewarding Employment Opportunities
Dublin Elementary is in need of several paraeducators: lunchroom, playground, and 31a literacy. If you are interested in a part-time position at one of our great WL schools, please click on this link which will lead you to the application process. You will need to set up an account for yourself and include three references. To view the job description, please visit this link, select "Search by District,” and select Walled Lake from the list of districts in Oakland County. To see the paraprofessional postings, type in the "filter results" box at the top right of the screen "Dublin.” Please feel free to contact the principal, Danielle Bigi, and to share this opportunity with others that you think may be interested as well.
Walled Lake Consolidated Schools is looking for community members interested in working as support staff personnel. Have you thought about the rewards of working with students and making additional income at the same time? If yes, we may have the right employment opportunity for you. Across all K-12 levels, positions are available starting at $12.74 per hour up to $13.33 to start, and range from two hours per day up to six hours per day. These roles include lunchroom paraeducators, classroom paraeducators, and food servers. If you are interested in learning more about the specific jobs available in Walled Lake, along with the perks included, please contact Brad Paddock at bradleypaddock@wlcsd.org, tele: 248 956 2192, or visit our Human Resources employment opportunities page on the District website. Assistance with filling out a job application on-line can be made available. Click here to access existing, available positions and sort by Walled Lake Consolidated Schools.
March is Reading Month
- Friday, March 19 - Dublin Spirit Wear Day!
- Friday, March 26 - Pajama Day!
As we cannot have an in-person literacy night this year, we are going to have a virtual literacy night for families. Look for more information soon.
New School Construction Update
Meet Ms. Bigi - Virtual Meet and Greet
Skyward Family Access
For families returning to in-person learning, please note that new teacher/class assignments will be posted to Skyward Family Access the evening of March 12. Please also note the following:
- Skyward Family Access will close to families/parents at 7 a.m. on March 11 so we can update the system with the new grades, schedules and teacher/class assignments.
- Grades for the second trimester will post after March 24 for parents by the teacher your child had the second trimester (although your child’s THIRD trimester teacher’s name will appear).
- Please contact your child’s SECOND trimester teacher, if you have any questions about the report card.
Free Shipping on Spirit Wear!
PTA Executive Board
IMPORTANT: School Bell Times
Dublin will remain on the following bell schedule for the remainder of the 2020-2021 school year:
Monday - Thursday 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Friday 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
1/2 Day Dismissal Time: 12:25 pm
Students arriving after our car rider drop-off line has ended must be signed in by a parent/adult and will be marked tardy.
If you need to pick up your child from school for any reason at the end of the day and need to do this from the office, this must be done before 3:30 PM or after our car rider line is finished at 4PM.
Kindergarten 20-21 Information
Free Vision Screening Available for Incoming Kindergartners
Walled Lake Preschool Information for 2021-22
If you would like information about registration for next school, please complete this survey. We plan to save a spot for your child. Registration will happen later in the spring. Here is the brochure for the next school year, with tentative sites, times and costs. All are subject to Board approval and enrollment.
Preschool Open House is March 18, 6:30 p.m.
Wellness Wednesdays
The WLCSD Parent Education Team and the Lakes Area Community Coalition (LACC) are excited to share with you Wellness Wednesdays! These webinars are for parents and are just 30 minutes long including question/answer time in one of three areas: Academic Wellness, Social-Emotional Wellness, and Physical Wellness. The first 3 weeks of the month are live webinars and the fourth week is a challenge. Past webinars can be found online. Please check out our March Kindness Challenge!
Reporting COVID Exposures and Quarantine
Please remember that is VERY IMPORTANT for all families and staff members to REPORT TO OUR MAIN OFFICE any COVID exposures, positive cases, and quarantine details to keep everyone safe at school. We keep important track of cases for the safety of all at school.
Please also remember to WEAR A MASK, SOCIAL DISTANCE, and WASH HANDS. This must be done to help stop the spread of COVID at home, in public, and at school.
Please see the important DEFINITIONS below.
"Quarantine" is the practice of keeping someone who might have been exposed to COVID-19 away from others. People in quarantine must stay home (usually 14 days), separate themselves from others, monitor their health, and follow directions from their state or local health department.
"Isolation" is the practice of separating people infected with the virus from those who are not infected. People in isolation (usually 10 days) must stay home until it's safe to be around others.
"Close Contact" indicates someone who has been within six (6) feet for a time greater than fifteen (15) minutes of someone who has COVID-19 symptoms with or without a mask within a 24 hour period.
"Positive" includes only those individuals with a lab-confirmed positive test.
Thank you for reporting important COVID information to our school office in a timely way for the safety of all.
Food Service Update--Free Breakfast and Lunch For All Students
After Monday 1/18/2021, there will be a new Monday pick up time starting on 1/25/2021. The new Food Distribution time will change to 1:45-3 p.m.
School breakfast and school lunch will be served FREE to all students that are attending in person learning in their classrooms daily. You may pick up breakfast & lunch for Saturday, Sunday and all closed school days every Monday afternoon at Walled Lake Central High School.
On Monday January 25, the Food Distribution time will change to 1:45-3 p.m. (from the prior time of 12:00-1:30 p.m. through 1/18)
For our virtual learners and children under the age of 18 who are not being served daily in our buildings, we will continue to provide 7 days of meals, through pickup at Walled Lake Central High School every Monday from 1:45-3 p.m.
Update from Prime Time Care
Prime Time Care will be open as long as school is in session at your school and we have at least 5 students registered per day.
If you have not already registered please visit the website at https://wlcsd.org/programs/prime-time-care/.
Full instructions will be available.
For questions, please email kathybirdseye@wlcsd.org.
School-Wide Morning Meeting
During our school-wide Monday Morning Meeting we recognize students that have been exhibiting positive actions or words while being leaders in our school. We also celebrate birthdays for the week, review important announcements for everyone, say the Pledge and Dublin Promise together as a school community.
We are currently focusing on the following important Social Emotional Learning Skills...
- Being Welcoming
- Being Safe
- Being Responsible
- Being Respectful
Please talk with your child about our morning meeting time. Talk with them about the skills for learning.
If you have questions about Dublin's Morning Meeting, please ask your child's teacher. They will be happy to talk to you about it, or better yet....talk with your child about it. Students are excited and learning a lot in this short time at the beginning of every week at school.
We look forward to this each and every week!
Please see our monthly themes and skills below..
Dublin PTA's Giveback Program
Help us reach our goals to raise money for the PTA, which in turn is used to support our teachers and students.
Here’s what you need to do:
1. Go to our eStore https://dublinelementary.new.memberhub.store/store?category=Sponsors to shop, save, and support.
2. Our PTA automatically gets up to 20% donated back!
3. We’ll be adding new Givebacks about every week from brands you know and love, plus some new finds to discover.
This is the perfect way to jump start your holiday shopping or if you need a few last-minute gifts!
It’s that Simple - CLICK - SAVE - SUPPORT
Don’t forget to share your purchases on social media! The more you share, the more funds we raise.
Thank you for your support!
Wishing you and your family a wonderful holiday season!
-The Dublin Elementary PTA
P.S. If YOU own a business and you're interested in doing a Givebacks to benefit our school, please let us know! We want to include your business.
Helping Your Child with Reading, Writing, and Phonics
We recognize that in these unprecedented times parents are working hard to support their child’s literacy learning at home as best they can. We want to help.
To that end, we have created free offerings for families. We hope these will bring more joy into home literacy learning.
Family Videos
In these family videos—each less than ten minutes— we draw on a combination of research, classroom experience, and educator knowledge to help parents and caregivers support young people, pre-k to grade 9, with their reading and writing. Some of these videos show you games that to play at home while others help you support phonics, avid reading, creative writing, study skills, research, vocabulary, or abstract thinking.
View all on our YouTube Channel
Book Collections
Want help finding some books your child will love to read? We’ve curated book collections of all-time and brand-new favorites, designed to hook readers young and old. We have lists for fantasy novels and graphic novels, for high interest series, and even a collection of courses of study for your teen readers. We update these lists regularly, so check back for more.
Free Office Hours for Parents and Caregivers: Ask a Literacy Expert
Have questions about your child’s reading or writing? Talk over zoom with Lucy Calkins and experienced Reading and Writing Project faculty. You might…
Check in about your child’s literacy development.
Ask what you can do (and should not do) to support your child at home with particular issues, or in general.
Inquire about what to expect across developmental stages in reading, writing or language acquisition, early to later years.
Schedule for office hours:
K-2 Families: Wednesdays 8-9 PM Eastern
Dates: December 16, January 6, January 13, January 20 (with more to come!)
3-8 Families: Thursdays 8-9 PM Eastern
Dates: December 17, January 7, January 14, January 21 (with more to come!)
Free Parent and Caregiver Workshops
If you’d like to learn more about ways to support your child’s literacy education at home, or learn more about what or how they are learning in school, or how to best engage in home literacy projects, consider attending part or all of our virtual workshop days for parents.
These days are typically 3 hours long, composed of a series of 15-minute small-group presentations. Parents and caregivers can choose the workshops that match their needs and are free to come for one workshop or many. These sessions are not recorded; the days are live.
Next Workshop: Thursday, January 28, 1-3 PM Eastern Time
REGISTRATION COMING SOON!
Main Office Protocols-Visitors and Volunteers
Michigan’s Return to School Roadmap states that schools must restrict visitors, volunteers, and family members in order to reduce risk. Therefore, no visitors/volunteers will be permitted in schools at this time.
Student Drop Off:
- Ring the buzzer outside of our main entrance. Give your name, child's name, and purpose.
- Sign your child in using our binder on the small table inside the vestibule.
- Have your child enter the office by themselves.
- We will make sure they get to their classroom safely!
Student Pick Up:
- Ring the buzzer and give your name, child's name, and purpose.
- Picture ID is required.
- Sign your child out using our binder on the small table inside the vestibule.
- Wait in the vestibule or outside until your child arrives in the Main Office.
- When your child arrives, we'll buzz your child out to you.
Dropping Off Items:
Ring the buzzer and give your name and purpose.
Leave any items on the small table in the vestibule.
Label items with your child's name and teacher's name.
We will deliver all items throughout the day and soon as we are able.
Social Work Corner
DEALING WITH GRIEF DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON:
10 Things to help get you through this difficult time:
1. Only do what feels right.
2. Accept your feelings
3. Call on your family and friends
4. Focus on the kids
5. Plan ahead
6. Scale back
7. Give
8. Acknowledge those who have passed on
9. Do something different
10. Skip it
To read the entire article visit: https://www.aarp.org/home-family/friends-family/info-12-2012/death-loss-christmas-holidays-goyer.html
Ele’s Place Virtual Grief Groups for
Children and Adults
Call: 517-482-1315
Food Resources
Hospitality House
2075 E. West Maple
Suite B204
Walled Lake, MI 48390
Call: 248-960-9975
Walled Lake Missionary
1795 North Pontiac Trail
Walled Lake, MI 48390
Call: 248-624-2595
Open Door Outreach
7170 Cooley Lake Road
Waterford, MI 48327
Call: 248-360-2930
Oakland Hope
373 Summit Drive
Waterford, MI 48328
Call: 248-309-3658
Our Daily Bread
1360 N Hickory Ridge Trail
Milford, MI 48380
Call: 248-685-3520Mental Health Resources
Easter Seals Telehealth Platform Services for Students and/or Families
Call: 248- 475-2150
Michigan Stay Well Counseling via COVID-19 Hotline
Call: 1-888-535-6136
Press “8” to talk to a Counselor. Counselors are available 24-7 Confidential and free
National Disaster Distress Helpline
Call: 1-800-985-5950 / Available 24-7
If you want help from the nearest Community Mental Health Services Program
Call: 211
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Call: 1-800-273-8255
Text: TALK to 741741
Available 24-7
Student Drop-Off and Arrival Reminders
- Please remember that our doors do not open for students to enter the building until 8:50 AM each morning.
- Please pull all the way forward and do not stop in the middle or end of our drop off lane. Students should use our sidewalk to walk to their doorway.
- Students must exit their cars from the passenger side along the sidewalk for safety purposes.
- Students must enter at their designated entry points each morning when being dropped off by car. (See map below)
- Students must walk directly to their classroom wearing their mask.
- Parents must stay in their cars.
- If you are dropping off your child late, you must park your car and walk your child up to the office to sign him or her in. Please do not send your child in unattended. Thank you!
Student Drop-Off Arrival Map
For efficiency and safety, please enter the car rider line with the flow of traffic. Please do not make a left turn into the car rider line during arrival and dismissal as this disrupts the flow of traffic and often causes a back-up on Farnsworth. Thank you for your cooperation.
Shamrock Pick Up and Dismissal Reminders
As we have always had, Dublin will have a TIERED dismissal for the safety of all of our students at the end of the day. Our dismissal process is comprised of four tiers.
- Shamrock Pick Up
- Walkers
- Prime Time Care
- Buses
We discourage any parent pick ups in our office at the end of the day unless there is an emergency or early release needed for an appointment.
If you need to pick up your child from school for any reason at the end of the day, this must be done before 3:30 PM.
After 3:30 PM, students MUST use one of the tiers of dismissal above.
We cannot have parents congregating in our main office at the end of the day.
- Parents who pick up their children before 3:30 PM must buzz in at our main office.
- Our secretaries will let the parent come in to our secure vestibule where there is a sign out book.
- Parents must sign out their child there.
- Secretaries will check ID.
- Your child will be called down to meet you there.
Students will not be called out of class after 3:30 PM. This is a disruption to our dismissal process.
- Parents must wear masks to pick up their children and must social distance in the vestibule or outside of our main office doors.
1. Our Shamrock Pick Up Students will be dismissed from their classrooms starting at 3:30 PM. We use a special application called BEELINE to notify students in their classrooms. Students will walk down to the gym and will be dismissed from there.
**PARENTS MUST HAVE A DUBLIN CAR RIDER SIGN IN THEIR CAR in order for your child to be dismissed to you. If you do not have one, you will be asked to park and go to our main office to get one. This is imperative for the safety of your child.
2. Our Walker Students will be dismissed at approximately 3:45 PM. Our Crossing Guards will be instructed to meet students at the West and East Walker door entrances to assist students walking home. The West Walker Door Entrance is at our playground doors in the back of the building. Our East Walker Door Entrance is the Media Center doors in the front of the building. Parents may not gather at either of these entrances to walk with students. Parents should wait until our students have crossed Farnsworth or Union Lake Road to meet their children. Our crossing guards will assist our walking students.
3. Prime Time Care Students will be dismissed at 3:50 PM. These students will go directly to the cafeteria from their classrooms.
4. We will begin to dismiss our Bus Rider students at approximately 3:55 PM. We will call buses one at a time. Students will remain in classrooms until their bus is called. Teachers will supervise students in classrooms.
Shamrock Pick Up Dismissal Map
Dublin Spirit Wear
It is time to order your Dublin Spirit Wear! Our Dublin PTA has set up spirit wear for purchase with a new company this year.
You can order with the order form below OR online all year long!!
Please see the flyer below for ordering and details, and also visit the Dublin Spirit Wear Store below. Each month, the website offers a new incentive. This month you can receive free shipping from March 5-22.
Face masks are also available.
The spirit wear flyer and web store will always be on our Dublin web page for future orders under the FOR PARENTS tab and placed in our Dublin Times newsletter. Please watch for monthly coupons too!
Here is the information flyer:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1d2uVRVZvlX3UD2E1tSNpfRNt-35By5Q5/view?usp=sharing
Here is the direct link to our Dublin Store.
WLCSD Foundation for Excellence-Be Inspired!
Choose K-12 Walled Lake Students for Year-End Giving
The Foundation for Excellence’s support for Walled Lake Schools’ 13,000 students is needed now more than ever for such critical areas of education as literacy and social and emotional learning.
Don’t miss out on making your one-time tax, deductible donation of $300 to the Foundation, as provided by the CARES Act. Vital diversification for an entire classroom’s literacy library can happen with $300. You make the difference for our children-future employees, business owners and leaders.
Be inspired to continue or begin your Foundation support and hear from our community leaders why they prioritize support for our District and from Jen Phillips-Weckstein; Dublin teacher, WLCSD parent and longstanding FFE trustee, regarding how FFE changed the trajectory of her teaching.
QUESTIONS? Email Foundation Executive Director MichelleBianco@wlcsd.org or phone 248.956.2116.
Checks can be made payable to Foundation for Excellence-Walled Lake Schools, 850 Ladd Rd., Bldg. D, Walled Lake, MI 48390.
Links:
You make the Difference: FFE video
Be Inspired: Message from Jen Phillips-Weckstein: WLCSD teacher, parent & FFE trustee
Choose WLCSD K-12 Students for Year-end Giving - FFE electronic newsletter (SMORE)
Need a Chrome Book?
How Can I Get a Chromebook for my Child?
Parents can still get Chromebooks for their children every Tuesday and Thursday from 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. at the Educational Services Center located at 850 Ladd Road, Building D, Walled Lake.
Need Tech Support?
In an effort to help with technical issues that you may have at home while learning online, WLCSD has developed a STUDENT TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT REQUEST FORM. To help with technical issues, this should be the first step in letting us know the issue you are experiencing with technology at home. We can then help you as quickly as we can.
This form is always located on our Dublin web page under the FOR PARENTS tab.
There is a button below too!
Attendance Hotline-248-956-3890
Please be reminded that our teachers will take AM and PM attendance as well as record tardies.
If your child will be absent or late, or will need to end the remote day early due to illness or a scheduled appointment, you must call the attendance phone line and leave us a message to tell us.
Every teaching and learning moment is crucial and we appreciate your partnership to ensure good attendance and participation.
We recognize that there will be a learning curve during these first few weeks and we promise to be flexible and understanding as we all become comfortable with the digital platforms of Google and Zoom.
Attendance Line: 248-956-3890
Google Login Information
Families - You can now access your child’s Google login information via Skyward Family Access. It can be found on the Report Cards tab as the very top report. If you still do not see it, please use the emails below to contact our school. If you are a parent of a new Kindergarten student and don’t see your student login, please check back on Skyward in a day as we are continuing to process enrollments. Thank you!
Support our School!
Dublin Elementary is now set up on the Amazon Smile program, which
donates 0.5% of eligible purchases straight to our school!
Here's what to do:
1) Log on to http://smile.amazon.com/
2) Select Dublin Elementary PTA as the organization you are supporting.
3) Shop away!
Communication is Key at Dublin!
SKYWARD FAMILY ACCESS
It is critical that parents keep an updated email address and let us know if it changes as soon as possible. Parents may update this information for us on Skyward Family Access. All teachers at Dublin utilize Skyward Family Access to communicate with parents.Report cards, lunch account information, progress reports, attendance, and other important information will always be posted on Skyward Family Access. If you are a new family to Walled Lake Schools or have misplaced or lost your Family Access ID and password, please click HERE to get connected.
DUBLIN TIMES AND SCHOOL WEB PAGE
Our Dublin Times newsletter will be sent electronically to parents. An archive of newsletters will be posted to our school website. Our school website can be found HERE. Please visit this page often for information about our school. You will find links to important documents, websites and blogs from your child's classroom, PTA forms and information, and important updates and forms that you will need to access.
Please follow us on Twitter @DublinWL to be updated regularly on important events at our school and fun pictures of student events and learning!
Dublin Contact Information
Principal: DanielleBigi@wlcsd.org
248-956-3832
Diane Yanalunas
Principal's Secretary: DianeYanalunas@wlcsd.org
248-956-3829
Mary Austin-Harris
Building Secretary: MaryAustin-Harris@wlcsd.org
248-956-3841
Email: daniellebigi@wlcsd.org
Website: http://wlcsd.org/dublin.cfm
Location: 425 Farnsworth Street, White Lake, MI, United States
Phone: 248-956-3800
Twitter: @DublinWL