Dicken Family Newsletter
3.1.24
Principal's Corner
Dear Families,
Happy March! Today marks the first day of March is Reading Month (MIRM)! A detailed email with information was sent to families yesterday (2/29) and the highlights can be found again below. Huge thanks to the PTO for the generous donation of student take home books, as well as books for classroom libraries and our building library. Special thanks to Michelle Loveless for organizing and kicking off our MIRM activities for the classroom and Read-a-thon fundraiser. It was great to see all the school spirit today with our first Friday Spirit Day for MIRM: Wear GREEN or Sports Team. Remaining MIRM Friday Spirt Days can be found below.
Upcoming Dates
Wednesday, March 6 - Early Release, 1:00 Dismissal
Friday, March 8 - Community Night Out - Taco King, 11:00 am - 10:00 pm
Sunday, March 10 - Daylight Savings Begins
Friday, March 22 - Report Cards sent home
Friday, March 22- Last day before spring break
Monday, March 25 - Friday, March 29 - No School - Spring Break
Monday, April 1 - School Resumes
Wed. April 3 - Sat. April 6 - Used Book Festival
March is Reading Month - Spirit Day Fridays
- Friday, March 8: RED day / PAWSITIVELY WILD about reading! Wear something red or something with animals/animal print/animal stickers.
- Friday, March 15: BLUE day / DOLPHINS read all month! Wear something blue or wear something with a dolphin/Dicken spirit wear.
- Friday, March 22: RAINBOW day / SNUGGLE UP and read! Wear any or all colors of the rainbow or pajamas/comfy clothes, bring your favorite book and stuffed animal. Get cozy today while you read.
Smart Phone / Smart Watch Policy
Recently, we have noticed an increase in students bringing phones and smart watches to school. Please note that students may not have phones out at any time during the school day. If a student brings a phone, it must remain turned off and in the student's backpack/locker. We are also updating our building policy to ask that smart watches are not worn at school, and children are not to receive and/or send phone calls or texts from smart watches during the school day. These devices can cause a distraction in the classroom, even when set to “school mode”. If you send your child to school with a smart watch with a tracker for safety purposes, the watch will need to remain in the child’s backpack during the school day, just as is the case for cell phones. Thank you for your cooperation!
March Pods
Today our cross grade Pods focus was all about HUMOR! We had lots of fun telling jokes and doing Madlibs. Below are some of the silly Storybooks and videos we enjoyed together. Most groups saw one or two, so feel free to enjoy with your children at home.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38y_1EWIE9I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4Q_B0fIrJE
Noon Hour Volunteers
We are in need of noon hour volunteers on Thursdays and Fridays. If you are able to help out once or twice a week, we would be most appreciative! Those interested, please contact noon hour coordinator Jean Kim at kimhy@aaps.k12.mi.us. Thank you!
The Character Effect
This week, students learned about the character strength of "Bravery". Here is what was shared by our SLT members on the announcements this week: "The strength of the week is Bravery. Bravery is defined as, I take on challenges and speak up for what is right. Be prepared to Strength Spot Bravery in yourself and in others this week. Fear and Bravery are two sides of the same coin. You can't have one without the other. Whenever you notice you are feeling afraid, take a deep breath, touch your heart and know that Bravery is also present inside you to help you meet the challenges of the day.."
All the Best,
Heather
PTO News
Message from the PTO President
Happy Friday Dolphins,
Happy March is Reading Month! It was fun to see many students wearing their spirit wear this morning at drop off! Each Friday this month will be a spirit day which students can choose to participate in by wearing a color or the theme of the day. Today's theme is dress to support your favorite sports team day or wear the color green! Next Friday is pawsitively wild about reading (animal print) or the color red! We hope your students have fun with the spirit days this month.
Today also kicks off the final PTO fundraiser for the year. You should have received a link to your student's 99 Pledges fundraising page this morning. Our goal is to raise $12,000 over the next three weeks (before we start spring break). If you have any questions about the fundraiser or your student's page please do not hesitate to reach out to dickenptopresident@gmail.com.
Another fun way that we are celebrating March is Reading Month is by our partnership with Schuler's bookstore starting this Sunday, March 3 and going through Saturday, March 9. Please spread the word to friends, family and neighbors that if they shop at Schuler's over the next week, please mention Dicken at checkout and 20% of all designated purchases will go directly to our school. We will also have teachers and staff reading at Schuler's next Saturday between 10-3, so please be on the lookout for that schedule which we will be sending next week.
Here are a few ways that the Dicken PTO has used the funds we've raised this year to help our school this week:
If you have any questions about these initiatives or have ideas for other funding opportunities please do not hesitate to reach out!
Have a great weekend,
Hallie
—Hallie Jewell, Dicken PTO President
Want to connect with other parents and caregivers outside of school?
Click here for the Dicken Elementary Parents Facebook group.
Find information about events, meeting minutes, and more on the PTO website at www.dickenpto.com
Upcoming PTO Meeting Dates
All PTO Meetings take place on the third Thursday of each month from 7 - 8:30 pm via Zoom.
All Dicken community members are welcome to attend PTO meetings.
Click here for the Zoom link.
Thursday, March 21
Thursday, April 18
Thursday, May 16
Thursday, June 20
More Helpful Links:
It's Here: March is Reading Month!
We have an exciting month planned for March is reading month!
Read-a-thon Fundraiser
Today kicks off the second and final big PTO fundraiser of the year. The funds raised during March is Reading month will help the PTO to complete our fundraising goals for the year and are needed to be able to ensure that we are able to finish off the year strong with wonderful events like field day, the ice cream social, class picnics and also ensures that we are able to continue to provide books to the classrooms and individual students each March. Please keep an eye out for an e-mail from 99Pledges online platform for individual student pages.
Fun ideas to get your student involved in the fundraiser is to make videos, emails or make book reviews for family and friends who support their fundraising efforts.
Save the date!
- Sunday, March 3rd – Saturday, March 9th: When you shop at Schuler book store in Westgate, please mention ‘Dicken’ at checkout – 20% of all designated purchases will go directly to our school.
- Saturday, March 9th: teachers and staff members of Dicken will be at Schuler bookstore in the Westgate shopping center for read-a-louds throughout the day! Come on by for story time and peruse the store.
- 10:00 AM – Ms. Harris
- 10:30 AM – Ms. Kairys
- 11:00 AM – Ms. Concannon
- 11:30 AM – Ms. Gargaro
- 12:30 PM – Ms. Brogno
- 2:30 PM – Principal Halabu
- 3:00 PM – Ms. Rossi
- Monday, March 25th, 1PM – 3PM
- Ann Arbor District Library has Make a Fairy House for Michigan Mammals planned at the Westgate shopping center location for a fun spring break activity.
- Thursday, March 28th, 2PM – 3PM
- Ann Arbor District Library has Balloon-Powered Cars at the Westgate shopping center location for a fun spring break activity.
If students would like to have their art featured in the Dicken display case or at Schuler bookstore, they can turn in their artwork (completed book cover template, which you can find below; or their own design) to the front office.
Spirit Days during March:
- Friday, March 8: RED day / PAWSITIVELY WILD about reading! Wear something red or something with animals/animal print/animal stickers.
- Friday, March 15: BLUE day / DOLPHINS read all month! Wear something blue or wear something with a dolphin/Dicken spirit wear. How about the Dash shirt from last fall?
- Friday, March 22: (Last day before spring break): RAINBOW day / SNUGGLE UP and read! Wear any or all colors of the rainbow or pajamas/comfy clothes, bring your favorite book and stuffed animal. Get cozy today while you read.
Upcoming Community Night Out Event - Friday, March 8
Taco King - Friday, March 8
2231 W Liberty Rd, Ann Arbor
Grab dinner at Taco King on Friday, March 8, and 20 percent of sales will be donated back to our school!
Give Kids a Smile Day: Saturday, March 16.
Give Kids A Smile Day will be taking place again this year on Saturday March 16th, 2024 from 8am-noon at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry. This is an annual event held countrywide run by faculty, dental students, and dental hygiene students to provide free dental care for children regardless of insurance status. Our mission is to provide the underserved pediatric populations of the southeast Michigan community with much needed oral health care as well as the education to prevent dental disease and promote lifelong oral health.
On Saturday March 16th, from 8am to noon, dental exams, cleanings, x-rays and possibly sealants will be provided for free regardless of insurance status for children ages 4-14 on a first-come, first-serve basis by qualified dental students and hygiene students.
Our website is www.gkasumich.org and all children must be pre-registered using this form.
Dicken's USED BOOK FESTIVAL is Happening! Mark your Calendars: April 3-6
READ. SHARE. REPEAT.
Dicken Used Book Festival will be April 3-5th and Community Shopping on Saturday April 6th. To close March is Reading Month and celebrate Earth Day, our used book festival will promote recycling those books! In that spirit, let's love the Earth and share good stories!
STEP 1 is to Gather those Books!
Between March 1-31st, dropff all books (adult, kid and baby), to the Registers' house @ 1737 Sanford Place. Please leave them under the carport.
As we approach April, keep an eye out in this newsletter for further information, including volunteer sign up!
Questions? Feel free to email erin7register@gmail.com
Mabel's Labels Fundraiser!
Support our Fundraiser - Dicken Elementary PTO
Buy Mabel's Labels waterproof, durable labels to help reduce classroom mix-ups and keep your items coming home!
Use code: BTS10 for 10% off your purchase
Search Dicken Elementary PTO (Ann Arbor) on the Mabel's Labels website for a portion of your purchase to go directly toward our school!