DGS Royal Decree
DGS Parent Newsletter
DGS Royal Decree: January 2024 Parent Newsletter
Upcoming Events
January 8 - School Resumes
January 8-26
- STAR Winter Benchmarks
January 9 - DGS PTO Meeting (7:00 pm)
January 12 -
- DGS Spirit Day (Popcorn at Lunch)
- Report Card Issued
January 15 - Martin Luther King Jr. - No School
January 17 - DGS Spelling Bee (9:15 am)
January 18 -
- Board of Education Meeting at DHS (6:00 pm)
January 24 - Kindergarten Hult Field Trip (8:30-10:30 am)
January Staff Birthdays
January 9 - Marsha Weld
January 30 - Nancy Riekena
Attendance
On time attendance is important and necessary for learning. If your child will be absent due to an appointment or is ill, please notify the office by 8:00 a.m. each day.
You can call the office or email your absence to: lkamin@dunlapcusd.net or msullivan@dunlapcusd.net
School hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday - 7:39 a.m.-2:45 p.m.
Wednesday - 7:39 a.m.-2:15 p.m.
Spring Semester Assessments
STAR Winter Assessments - January 8 - 26
- All students
CogAT (Cognitive Abilities Test) - Week of February 5
- 2nd and 4th grade students (as well as new 3rd and 5th graders)
- Want to practice? Here are some practice tests if interested.
I.A.R. (Illinois Assessment for Readiness) - March 11 - 19
- 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades
Illinois Science Assessment - Week of April 8
- 5th grade only
BIST Parent Resources
Have you ever had questions about BIST at DGS and how it can be applied at home? Check out this link: BIST Home to School Connections for Parents. It is full of great information on the following topics:
- Household expectations
- Caring confrontation
- Protective planning
- Outlasting the 'acting out'
- De-escalating behaviors
- Avoid power struggles
- ...and more!
What's for Lunch?
Click here for the January Lunch Menu.
Birthday Treats
To promote a positive, safe, and healthy lifestyle and classroom learning community; birthday celebrations at school will not include treats or favors from home. Teachers will choose to celebrate students in their classroom in grade and age appropriate ways.
DGS Spirit Days
January 12 - DGS School Spirit and Popcorn Day! Wear blue or yellow or your school spirit wear. Popcorn will be served during lunch.
Recess
Please make sure your child is prepared and dressed appropriately for outside recess. Students will go outside for recess anytime the temperature is 15 degrees or above (including wind chill). If your family or child is in need of winter coats or warm clothing, please let us know, and we can assist you.
Parents cannot request that students stay inside based solely on the temperature. It is important for the students to get outside and play when possible during the winter months.
Any child who is exempt from physical education for medical reasons will not be allowed to participate in outdoor recess activities. Re-injury on the playground could occur. Arrangements for indoor recess in the main office or a supervised classroom will be made.
Delayed Start
There may be times when the weather is such that delaying the start of school by two hours would provide for a safer environment for our students and staff. This decision will be announced no later than 6:30 am on the day of the delayed start via School Messenger system as well as local TV stations.
On these days, buses will run and morning pick up times will be two hours later than normal. Classes will begin two hours later than their regularly scheduled time. There will be no morning Early Childhood or Bright Futures classes, but the afternoon classes will run at the normal time. School will still dismiss at the regular time. If the district decides to implement a delayed start for the school day, all notifications will be sent in the same manner as the closing of school.
Extended Travel
As a reminder, teachers are unable to prepare homework prior to an absence. If your child will be absent for more than 10 consecutive days for travel he/she will be dropped from PowerSchool. Your child's class spot will be saved for 30 school days as long as a return date is provided.
The district does not offer a remote learning option. 4th/5th grade chromebooks should be turned in to the office prior to leaving. They will be re-issued upon return. Please make sure to let the classroom teacher as well as the office know of any planned absences.
ESL ACCESS Testing
ACCESS test is the assessment that measures the proficiency of English Learners (ELs) in reading, writing, speaking and listening. This year’s testing window will be January 17-March 5, 2024. All ELs will take the test at school within that testing window. Kindly note that if your child is waivered, he/she will still take the ACCESS test until he/she scores high enough to officially exit the ESL program.
ACCESS test will be group administered online for grades 1-12, and a one-on-one teacher directed paper test for kindergartners. The results of the test will be used to determine whether or not your child has reached a high enough proficiency level in English to exit the ESL program for the 2024-2025 school year. You will receive your child’s official ACCESS test scores through the mail in the fall (August 2024).
In preparation for the test, your child will watch online tutorials about ACCESS and will participate in a couple of in class practice tests prior to testing. We can’t emphasize how important regular attendance is during practice and during the testing window (January 17 – March 5). Please contact your child's ESL teacher if he/she will be absent during these dates. This will allow the ESL teachers to plan testing sessions and try to make the necessary arrangements for your child not to miss the test. If you are interested in learning more about the ACCESS test or wish to view the practice materials, please visit the following website:
Parents Club Meeting
The next Parents Club meeting will be on Tuesday, January 9, 2024 at 7:00 pm in the DGS
Café. All parents and guardians of DGS Royals are welcome! We hope you can join us!
Other events to watch for will be additional Family Nights Out, the Spring Scholastic Book
Fair with the very popular Grand Event, Muffins for Moms, and more!
Thank you to all our DGS Royal families for your support of the DGS Parents’ Club through
volunteering, attending events, and participating in our fundraisers. We appreciate all of
you!
We hope all our DGS Royal families have a healthy, safe, and wonderful holiday season
with their families!
Happy Holidays,
Annalee Huntington
DGS Parents Club President
DGS Carnival
The Parents Club will be hosting the fun and exciting Carnival on Saturday, February
24 from 3:00-7:00 pm. Games! Food! Fun! Raffles! Silent Auction! Photo booth! Face painting!
Information will be coming home in January on how you can donate to support our carnival. There will also be information on raffle tickets, food order forms, basket raffle donations, and volunteer
opportunities. Keep an eye out for all of that!
We are looking for any families and businesses who would like to make a monetary or any
kind donation to one of our biggest fundraisers of the year. If you have any questions about
donating, please contact email dunlapparentsclub@gmail.com. Donations can be mailed to
DGS or dropped off in the school office.
Dunlap CUSD #323 App
We have launched a district app on Android and iOS. The app will allow parents to easily view news and calendar items from their child's school.
The apps can be found here: https://launch.customschoolapps.net/dunlap-school-district-323/ as well as in your respective app stores.
Dunlap Shine Award
The Dunlap School District Shine Award honors employees who go above and beyond for the students and schools in our community. Honorees positively influence, inspire, and leave a lasting impact in the work that they do every day, helping to fulfill the overall District mission to empower all students to reach their individual potential.
Nominations can be submitted by students, parents, District employees, business, or community members by completing the following nomination form. District employees will be selected and honored throughout the school year to receive this prestigious honor.
Selected nominees will receive a crystal apple in recognition of their exemplary efforts, provided by Horace Mann. Additionally, Peoria Prints & Graphic Designs will provide yard signs for staff to celebrate their achievement at home!
Please provide your email in the field below so that a copy of your nomination will be sent to your email address and so that we can contact you with any additional questions.
Dunlap Gives Back
It is our mission to serve Every Student, Each Day!
Dunlap Gives Back serves to supply students and families with resources to meet their basic needs to ensure that all children are equipped with the resources they need to be prepared to learn.
If you are a staff member, family member, or student, please use this form to request resources. Items that can be requested include, but are not limited to food, clothing, school supplies, hygiene supplies, ect. If further support or resources are required, please email Director of Student Services, Mandy Ellis, at mellis@dunlapcusd.net
All requests will be confidential and protect the privacy of the student and family.