Dryden Elementary School Newsletter
Home of the Young Cardinals - 11/6/20
Quarantine - Frequently Asked Questions
When someone, student or staff, is a close contact of a person who has tested positive for COVID-19 (cumulative total of 15 minutes within 6 feet) they are required to quarantine. This is to minimize any possible spread of the virus. They are considered to be a "contact."
At this point, there is no evidence of anyone being sick or of any transmission of the virus (other than the initial positive case). Your other children are considered a "contact of a contact" and are not required to quarantine.
My child was quarantined. If they get tested and test negative, can they return to school?
No. A negative test will not shorten the length of the quarantine period because you can develop symptoms up to 14 days after exposure.
Vision and Hearing Screening for Grades 1-6
First, Third and Fifth grades will have their vision checked and second, fourth, and sixth will have their hearing checked. BK and K students will also have a re-check that day if they were absent on November 4th.
If your child needs the screening that their grade is not scheduled for, please send a note to their teacher.
Family Guides: Supporting Learning in 2020-21
SMILE Dentistry is Returning - Dec. 4th
Dear Parents,
Great news! Our school has partnered with Smile Programs…the mobile dentists to offer in-school dental care. Sign up your child today at www.myschooldentist.com.
Even better, dental care is usually at no cost to you. All insurance is accepted including
Medicaid and CHIP. For those without insurance, a low cost self-pay option is available.
Convenient and comfortable
Our in-school dental program saves you time and provides a safe and comfortable
place for your child to receive gentle dental care from licensed local professionals.
Dental care includes a complete dental exam, x-rays, cleaning, fluoride and sealants
when necessary, and in some cases, restorative care such as fillings.
Dental care for a healthy life
Children who see a dentist regularly may have fewer health issues like:
- Early tooth loss caused by dental decay
- Gum disease
- Heart disease
- Impaired speech development
Help keep your child healthy, in school and learning.
Use the link below to make an appointment for your child.
Letter Regarding Instruction for Sick Students
October 23, 2020
Dear Dryden Parents and Guardians,
As you know, one of our safety measures this year is that we are requesting that you keep your child home if they are sick or have any of the many symptoms of COVID-19. While that is helpful in keeping people healthy, it does have ramifications as far as the instruction they receive and may lead to truancy issues. In order to address both of these concerns, when your child is ill and is staying home they will have the option to log into their regular classes’ Google Meet or Zoom during instructional times. If they do that then they will still receive instruction and will not be marked absent.
This is not a requirement when your child is ill. If they are too sick to participate in this way they should focus on getting better.
If you are interested in this for your child, when you call the office to let us know they won’t be in please let Mrs. Marinkovski know your child will be logging on for class.
If your child’s teacher has not already shared your classes’ login and instruction times, they will in the near future. Attendance will be given for the instruction sessions attended. For example, if there are four times to log in during the course of the day, your child will need to be logged in all four times to be marked as having attended all day.
Please keep in mind that, especially for the younger students, their learning materials will be at school so their classmates may be working in a packet or on sheets that are not available to them. For short absences like this is designed for we will not be able to provide the learning materials for pickup at school.
Although I believe this is a good option to keep sick students out of the building, I do have some reservations. This is to only be used if your child is sick. Educationally this will not be equivalent to attending school and I don’t want to present it that way. If your child is not sick this is not an option for them and they should be in school.
Also, there is sometimes a unique stress and sense of urgency that comes with trying to tackle and troubleshoot technical issues. Teachers will help to the degree that they can but they also have a classful of students that they are trying to teach as well. A list of common technical issues and troubleshooting is at the end of this letter.
If you need a device for your child to use, that may be picked up at the office. The device will need to be returned the day they return to school.
If you have any questions please contact your child’s teacher or me.
Sincerely,
Karen Roys
Dryden Elementary Principal
Common Computer Issues
I can’t log in to my child’s Google Meet - Your child must be logged in to the device with an account through Dryden Community Schools. Your child has an email address (firstname.lastname@dryden.k12.mi.us) and password. This should be used to log into the device.
I can’t hear anything and the teacher can’t hear my child. - The microphone in the Zoom call or Google Meet might be muted. The speaker on the device might be muted.
Math Discussions
Wear It Wednesday - Dress Up Theme
November 11 - Veterans/Red, White, and Blue
November 18 - Camoflauge day
Application for Free or Reduced Meals
Do you have a 3 or 4 year old at home?
Does your child have books at home to read?
Food Service Information for our Online Learners
What do you do if you want food service through Dryden Elementary School?
Hot Food Option - You have the option of ordering hot lunch on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
The food served will follow the elementary school menu (above).
You must call the front office by 9:45am on Monday, Wednesday, or Friday or complete the order form below. If you know you will want this three days a week please tell Mrs. Marinkovski so you won’t have to call in on those days.
You can pick up hot lunch between 11am-12:30pm at the elementary school. If you order it but do not pick it up you will still be charged for it.
You will also be given bagged breakfasts and lunches to cover until the next day lunch can be ordered.
Cold Food Option - You have the option of picking up a week’s worth of bagged meals every Monday.
To pick up 5 bagged breakfasts and 5 bagged lunches, please call our front office (796-2201) or return the order form by 9:45am on the Friday before to order for pick up on the following Monday between 11am-12:30pm.
Prices
Breakfast - Our elementary students get Universal Free Breakfast.
Lunch - We follow the same pricing structure as in-person students. Full Price = $3.00, Reduced = $0.40, Free - $0.
If the school needs to be closed for any reason these food service options
will change to our district-wide distribution method. That will be communicated to you if it happens.
Important Dates
- November 11 - Dress Up Day Theme - Veterans/Red, White, and Blue
- November 11 & 12 - Parent Teacher Conferences
- November 12 - Half day of school, dismissal at 12:10pm
- November 13 - No school
- November 18 - Dress Up Day Theme - Camo Day
- November 23-27 - Thanksgiving holiday, no classes
- December 2 - Dress Up Day Theme - College/Armed Forces Day
- December 9 - Dress Up Day Theme - Jersey Day
- December 16 - Dress Up Day Theme - Ugly Christmas Sweater
- December 21-January 1 - Winter recess, no classes
- January 6 - Dress Up Day Theme - College/Armed Forces
- January 13 - Dress Up Day Theme - Hometown Day
- January 18 - MLK Jr. Day, no classes
- January 12 - Dress Up Day Theme - Exams
- January 20-22 - Exams at the high school, half days for elementary students, dismissal at 12:10
- January 22 - End of 2nd marking period & 1st semester
- January 27 - Dress Up Day Theme - Twin Day
- February 3 - Dress Up Day Theme - College/Armed Forces Day
- February 10 - Dress Up Day Theme - Heart day
- Feb. 12-15 - Mid-winter break, no classes
- February 17 - Dress Up Day Theme - Silly socks day
- February 24 - Dress Up Day Theme - Superhero Day
- March 3 - Dress Up Day Theme - College/Armed Forces day
- March 4 - Parent Teacher Conferences (by invitation only)
- March 10 - Dress Up Day Theme - Pajama Day
- March 17 - Green Day
- March 24 - Vacation Location Day
- March 29-April 2 - Spring Break, no classes
- April 5 - Easter Monday, no classes
- April 7 - Dress Up Day Theme - College/Armed Forces Day
- April 9 - End of 3rd marking period
- April 14 - Dress Up Day Theme - Tigers Day
- April 21 - Tie Dye Day
- April 28 - Dress Up Day Theme - Disney Day
- May 5 - Dress Up Day Theme - College/Armed Forces Day
- May 12 - Dress Up Day Theme - Beach Day
- May 19 - Dress Up Day Theme - Athletic Wear Day
- May 26 - Dress Up Day Theme - I'm not sure?????
- May 31 - Memorial Day Holiday, no classes
- June 2 - Dress Up Day Theme - College/Armed Forces Day
- June 6 - Graduation at 11am
- June 9 - Dress Up Day Theme - Blast From the Past Day
- June 14-16 - Exams for high school students, half days for elementary students, dismissal at 12:10.
- June 16 - Last day of school
Parent and Student Resources
Elementary Handbook
Would You Like to See Any Other Information in This Newsletter?
Dryden Community Schools
Dryden Elementary School Principal
Mary Finnigan
Superintendent
Dryden Junior/Senior High School Principal
Email: kroys@dryden.k12.mi.us
Website: www.dryden.k12.mi.us
Location: 3835 North Mill Road, Dryden, MI
Phone: 810-796-2201
Facebook: facebook.com/DrydenCommunitySchools
Twitter: @DrydenSchools