Enter to Learn, Leave to Serve

WELCOME!

It is a privilege to be back in Dowagiac, as your new superintendent, and welcome you to the 2024-2025 school year! During our Opening Day staff meeting on Monday, August 19th, I shared with our staff that there is no place I would rather be than right here right now. The Board of Education, administration and staff of Dowagiac Union Schools are excited and getting ready for our students to join us on the first day of school. The Administrative and Directors Team held a retreat this past week in preparation for the upcoming school year, and we are focused on team building, collaboration, communication, and impacting ALL students in our district.

The building principals and admin team are working to fill our last couple of teaching positions in the district, prepping their staff, and we are feeling very fortunate to have hired some great educators heading into the school year. Transportation is coordinating bus routes and preparing the bus fleet for the start of school. The maintenance/custodial department is putting the finishing touches on the buildings in preparation for students. Counselors and social workers are teaming up to coordinate last-minute schedule changes and classroom assignments for students. Food service is getting orders placed and meal areas prepped and ready to go. Technology is getting all the student Chromebooks tuned up for the year. Secretaries are ready to greet our students and families and assist in whatever capacity is needed. And, fall sports are up and running.

The past couple of months of summer break have provided our staff with the much needed time to recharge, reflect, and refocus on their roles as educators. We are committed to establishing a culture in our school community that will have a lasting impact on our students and families. It starts with relationships and fun! I have shared that vision with our staff and I am looking forward to it taking shape in our district.

We look forward to welcoming new and returning students on the first day of school, Monday, August 26, 2024.

GO CHIEFTAINS!

Greg Blomgren

Superintendent

Welcome New Staff

Kyra Kuriata

Sister Lakes Elementary

Third Grade Teacher

Mackenzie Mroczek

Kincheloe Elementary

Fifth Grade Teacher

Allie Kruckeberg

Sister Lakes Elementary

Fifth Grade Teacher

Amber Gil de Lamadrid

Dowagiac Middle School

SPED

Tammy Tallis-Crowner

Patrick Hamilton Elementary

Fourth Grade Teacher

Tami Small

Kincheloe Elementary

Third Grade Teacher

Brian Litten

Dowagiac Union High School

Social Studies Teacher

Benjamin VanRoekel

DMS/DUHS

Band Director

Caroline O'Toole

Dowagiac Union High School

SPED

Kaisey Bulifant

Dowagiac Middle School

Math Teacher

Kerith Spake

Dowagiac Union High School

English Teacher

Courtney Harjung

Dowagiac Middle School

Assistant Principal

Donovan Sullivan

Patrick Hamilton Elementary

Instructional Aide

Piper Ruff

Patrick Hamilton Elementary

Utility Aide

Craig Schau

Dowagiac Union High School

Girls Varsity Basketball Coach

Justin Bennett

Dowagiac Middle School

Football Coach

Katelyn Sellers

Dowagiac Middle School

Social Worker

Alexis Clanton

Patrick Hamilton Elementary

Parapro

Amanda Quinn

Sister Lakes Elementary

Kindergarten Teacher

Ross Tidey

Dowagiac Union High School

SPED

Abigail Baldwin

Sister Lakes Elementary

Kindergarten Para

New Staff Not Pictured:

Bidiriana Torres, Patrick Hamilton Elementary, SPED Para

Edwin Campos, Transportation, Bus Driver

Beth Middaugh, Sister Lakes Elementary, Breakfast/Lunch Aide

Jennifer Westcott White, DUHS, Sodexo

Jayla Outlaw, DUHS, Sodexo

Milka Hiler, DMS, Sodexo

Vicki Garrelts, DMS, Sodexo

Steffen Rouse, DMS, Sodexo

Shawn FitzGerald, Admin., Business Office Assistant

Elizabeth Bozell, EL Support, JGE/PHE/DUHS

Building/Position Changes:

Donna Batty, Kincheloe Elementary, Secretary

Ashley Horvath, JGE/KNE, EL Certified Interventionist

Kyle Wilson, Kincheloe Elementary, Head Custodian

Steven Duoba, Kincheloe Elementary, Custodian

Kat Race, Justus Gage Elementary, Title 1 Para-pro

Lora Blank, Justus Gage Elementary, Title 1 Para-pro & ECSE Aide

Returning Staff:

Brenda Reagan, Migrant Data Entry

Victoria Bickham, Transportation, Bus Driver

Athletics:

Traci Wightman, DMS, 7th Grade Volleyball

New Staff Training

Friday, August 16

On Opening Day, we had a blast playing Rock, Paper, Scissors, Shoot for the best 2 out of 3 games. The stakes? Your necklace if you lost! Cheering on the winner made for a lively atmosphere, with staff from all buildings teaming up. The crown for Ultimate Champion went to our new Kindergarten Para at Sister Lakes Elementary, Abigail Baldwin!

Building & Transportation Information

Transportation Director

Robert Durm

rdurm@dowagiacschools.org

Transportation Secretary

Jane Phillips

jphillips@dowagiacschools.org

Transportation/Bus Garage:

269-782-4482

Transportation Website: https://www.dowagiacschools.org/page/transportation

Transportation App: My Ride K-12

Apple App: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/my-ride-k-12/id6443848115?platform=iphone

Microsoft App: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tylertech.myridek12&hl=en_US

Calendars

District Calendar:

https://www.dowagiacschools.org/events

2024-2025 School Year Calendar:

https://5il.co/2qwrd

Athletics

Athletic Director

Brent Nate

bnate@dowagiacschools.org

Athletic Secretary

Tonya Brooks

tbrooks@dowagiacschools.org

Website: https://www.dowagiacschools.org/o/dhs/page/athletic-information

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/duhsathletics

PlanetHS: https://studentcentral.bigteams.com/?keyword=%2Fuser%2Fsignin&schoolID=0

Phone: 269-782-4470

GOLD CARDS AVAILABLE FOR SENIORS

With the start of the 2024-25 school year, we want to remind our senior citizens that Gold Cards are available for you to pick up, at your convenience, at these locations:

Dowagiac Union High School:

701 W. Prairie Ronde

Administration Office:

243 S. Front Street

These cards are provided at no cost and allow senior citizens (ages 60 and over) free general admission to local athletic events (except Michigan High School Athletic Association tournament games) and reduced rates to school-sponsored plays.

Show your Dowagiac school spirit and support our students and athletes with your presence at school events.

News From The Cafeteria...Food For Thought

We have transitioned to a new application for our school menu's, it can be accessed below or parents/guardians can download the Nutrislice Application. Once the application is downloaded please enter Dowagiac Union Schools to gain access to the menu's.

Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/SodexoDowagiac

District Website:

https://www.dowagiacschools.org/page/food-service

School Menu's:

https://dowagiacschools.nutrislice.com/menu

Message from the School Nurse

As summer draws to a close, I wanted to remind parents of some areas that need to be visited before school starts.

Immunizations: The State of Michigan Public Health Code Act 368 requires that all students entering school must be fully immunized against vaccine preventable diseases such as Measles. Dowagiac Union Schools is required by the State of Michigan to report all vaccine data for all Kindergarteners, 7th graders, and all new students to our district. This reporting is done in November and February of each school year. Students who are not completely immunized must receive the vaccines or they can be excluded from school. Each building secretary and myself are diligent in accessing immunization records to ensure that our students are completely immunized to hopefully protect themselves and others from vaccine preventable diseases.

Please check the immunization status of your child to ensure he/she is up to date with immunizations. This can be done at your child’s primary care physician or at the local health department. You may be asked to provide the school a copy of the immunization record.

Medications at School: The Dowagiac Union School District knows that there are occasions when your child will need to take medication while at school. The entire policy is located on our DUS website in the school nurse section.

A Few Main Topics:

1) Any medication, even over the counter medication must have a medication authorization form signed by the physician and parent each school year. These are located on our website as well as in each school building. This must be completed fully prior to the medication being brought to school.

2) Medications MUST BE brought to school and picked up from the school by a parent or guardian. Please do not send your child’s medication to school with him/her as they can be subject to disciplinary action.

3) All medications must be picked up at the end of the school year or they will be discarded.

You may contact me, Suzanne Dorman, with any questions or concerns.