Dicken Family Newsletter
10.8.21
Principal's Corner
Upcoming Dates
- Wednesday, October 20: Early Release - Dismissal at 1:18
- Friday, October 22: Dicken Dash 12:30 - 3:30
- Friday, October 29: Halloween Parade at 9:30
- Friday, October 29: Half Day - Dismissal at 11:28
- Friday, October 29: Pumpkin Patch 5:00 - 7:00
- Tuesday, November 2: No School - Election Day
Halloween Parade
This year we will return to our Halloween tradition of an all school outdoor parade on Friday October 29 beginning at 9:30. Parents are welcome to attend, as this is an outdoor event. Please make sure your child(ren)'s costume does not include any weapons, blood or gory masks.
Free & Reduced Lunch Applications
Last call for families who believe they may be eligible for Free and Reduced lunch- please fill out the application, which is due by October 10.
Although breakfast and lunch are free for all students this year, the applications can help us determine if our school is eligible for any other services or funds. It will also allow families to become prequalified for eligible scholarships with Rec & Ed and for the Pandemic EBT Card. (More information can be found here).
If you are not sure if your family falls within the income guidelines, you can view the eligibility guidance here: Eligibility Guidance.png
We want to make sure we have everyone accounted for and are capturing the needs of our community, especially in the midst of the pandemic.
Again, here is the application. When you get to the portal please click "Guest", then "Application".
COVID 19 Safety Updates
The AAPS COVID-19 Health and Safety Protocols have been updated. Changes include updates to the daily student questionnaire about when to keep a child home from school and when to quarantine. Please check these periodically as the updates occur frequently.
Arrival and Dismissal Procedures
Thank you for your cooperation with our safety guidelines. Including them again in this week's newsletter for review, as we are still noticing areas we could improve:
- Parents must stay in the drop off and pick up lines at all times. You may not exit your vehicle to walk students in.
- If you would like to walk your child to the door, please park in the Carol St. lot. Carol St. is one street north of the Runnymede entrance.
- Please do not skip the line to move to an open spot further ahead; This is unsafe for students walking to cars.
- Please pull up as far as possible to help keep the lining moving.
- The Runnymede lot is for buses and staff parking only.
- There is no parking along the curb closest to Runnymede, even if you stay in your vehicle.
Please see the photo below for reference.
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All the best,
Heather
PTO News
You’ve seen the Signup Genius links for the Dash and the Pumpkin Patch. Yesterday we put out word of our first Community Night Out (see details below). We’ve gotten a lot of great things started, and it’s only October! We have our first PTO meeting since the school year started on the 21st. Parents are always welcome to join us (you ARE the P in PTO after all), and all meetings will be virtual for the foreseeable future. You can join us from 7-9 pm on Zoom (click here for the direct link to the meeting).
Before this meeting, I would love to hear from you. What questions do you have for the PTO? What can the PTO do to better support your children at Dicken? How can we help our families have a great school year? Do you have ideas for better supporting teachers? Please send me an email with any questions or suggestions you have. I promise to reply. Let’s have an ongoing conversation about making this a great school year, and helping keep Dicken a great school.
—Jenifer Miller, Dicken PTO President
PTO website
Dicken parents’ Facebook group
Upcoming PTO Event Dates:
October PTO Meeting: October 21 (7 - 9 pm on Zoom)
Dicken Dash: October 22 (12:30 - 3:30 pm, outside at Dicken)
Pumpkin Patch: October 29 (5 - 7 pm, outside at Dicken))
Dicken Dash Updates
Calling all Dicken Dash Volunteer! We are two weeks away from the Dicken Dash and need your help to make the event a success. Photographers, Corner Captains and Table Tally Takers - we need your help. If you are able to help during the day of the event, please take a look at the Sign Up Genius.
Keep those donations and pledges coming!
Thank you so much to all the students and families who have reached out to get donations for the Dicken Dash. We are approaching our fundraising goals, but need your support to keep the momentum going. Donations can be made to the general fundraiser on the main page of the website (you don't need to select a specific student) or can be made directly to an individual student by searching their names on the main page - or with the direct links that were sent out last week. If you have any additional questions about the Dicken Dash please reach out via email to dickendash@gmail.com
As of 12pm today, we've raised $8,610 - over halfway to our goal of $15,000! Mrs. Gargaro's class has currently raised the most with $1859.33, can any classes catch her kindergartners?
More information, including the schedule of events and when each class will be dashing, can be found in our Dicken Dash Handbook.
Pumpkin Patch
Get ready for the Dicken Pumpkin Patch on Friday, October 29th 5-7pm. It’s going to be filled with your favorite games, cake walk, pumpkins, and food!
Some important notes:
- we need LOTS of volunteers for setup, takedown, and during the event. Please sign up at this link.
- preorder ticket form will come home in backpack mail on 10/19
- pizza will be available for purchase with tickets!
- if you would like to enter a carved pumpkin in the contest, plan to drop it off on 10/29 between 4-5:15pm. We will use these to decorate the forest!
Dicken Fundraising - Community Night Out
Pizza House
Thursday, October 14
Mention the Dicken PTO fundraiser when you order from the Ann Arbor Pizza House and part of your bill will be donated toward Dicken! See flyer below for details.