December 12, 2025

Message from the Principal

Justus Gage Food Drive: Justus Gage will be hosting a food drive to help St. Francis Outreach's efforts in providing food for the local food pantry at the Catholic Church. The food drive starts December 15th and will go through the 19th. Please bring in canned and non perishable items. Any student who brings in an item will receive their picture taken for their KIND act!

Winter Weather and Indoor/Outdoor recess: As a reminder, our students will be outside for lunch recess unless the temperature with the windchill is below ten degrees. Please make sure that we are sending our students to school with appropriate winter clothes.

WINTER MUSIC PROGRAM REMINDER: Our Justus Gage Winter Music Program has been RESCHEDULED!. The winter program will feature our K-2 students and special chorus. Mrs. Eckman will lead these talented students as they will showcase their hard work and talent on Wednesday, December 16th at 7:00 PM. The program will be held at the Performing Art Center at DMS.

KINDNESS: The Justus Gage Kindness Challenge -2025!

At the beginning of each week, for the remainder of the 2025 calendar year, your child will be given a suggestion for an act of kindness they can complete each day. The “Kindness Challenges” for the week will be displayed in each student’s locker on Monday morning.

We will kick off the “Kindness Challenge” during Monday’s Grandparent/Special Friend Day. Along with the “Kindness Challenge”, each student will also get an opportunity to make a “Kindness Themed” craft and do an activity with their grandparent or special friend.

All students and staff will also sign the kindness banner during the first week of December.

Thank you for partnering with us as we attempt to strengthen a culture of kindness among our students, staff, and community. Please continue to encourage your student(s) to “Be Kind”!

SCHOOL NURSE MESSAGE:

We are seeing an increased number of cases of head lice in our buildings as well as across the Southwest Michigan area. With the number of cases increasing, please check your child’s hair frequently for nits and live bugs. If your child is found to have head lice, please begin treatment immediately. Head lice treatment is very time consuming and can be expensive, but if the head lice and all of the nits are not removed from the hair as well as anything that comes in contact with the hair the cycle will start over in your home.

There are resources for head lice treatment in the main office if you need assistance. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns at 269-782-4420 ext. 1218 or sdorman@dowagiacschools.org.

Suzanne Dorman RN, MSN

District School Nurse

WINTER IS HERE: It is time to drag out those HATS, BOOTS, WINTER COAT, GLOVES and SNOW PANTS. Please put your students name in each item so that they don't get mixed up with other students having the same color item.

NO POKEMON or ANY KIND of TRADING CARDS BROUGHT TO SCHOOL!! Please remind your students that no Pokemon or any trading cards are allowed at school. Thanks for working together in keeping everyone's trading cards at home.

ST. FRANCIS OUTREACH FOOD PANTRY: The food pantry at the Catholic Church in Dowagiac on Oak Street is open every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month. No necessary forms to complete.

DISMISSAL TIME REMINDER: Please remember to park Northbound on James St., Eastbound on Wayne St. and Southbound on Oak St. when you are picking up your child. GSRP and Kindergarten parents are to use the parking lot which is accessible off of James Street and then please exit onto Wayne St. Thanks for working together in keeping everyone safe.

Dowagiac Girls Youth Basketball – In-Person Registration Only!

Calling all future Chieftains!

Dowagiac Girls Youth Basketball is holding in-person registration, grades 1st-6th, on the following dates:

Dec 16: 5-7pm

Dowagiac High School Lobby (outside of competition gym)

Registration is $35, and every player gets a team jersey!

Let’s pack the gym and grow our youth program together!

Schedule of Events

December 15 - Board Meeting, 6:00 @ PAC

December 16 - K-2, Special Chorus Winter Music Program

December 19 - Half Day, HERO Celebration #2

December 22- January 2 - Winter Break/No School

January 5 - School Resumes

January 9 - 1/2 Day K-12, PM Records Day, End of 1st Semester K-5

January 16 - District Spelling Bee

January 19 - No School, MLK Day, Staff Professional Development, Regular Board Mtg.

Building Highlights

November Perfect Attendance

2nd Grade

Zach Sedlar, Boston-James Craig, Alice Stapleton, Henry Glynn and Alyssa Goff.

5th Grade

Back Row: Addison Ausra, Logan Robson, Carissa Grant, John Bakeman, Devin Mondschein, Leland Carpenter.

Front Row: Lilly Holland, Adrian Sedlar, Tyler Damouth, Lucas Slates, Guadalupe Martinez and Zayla Hayes.

Kindergarten

Rowen Tuka, Annabelle Poor, Isabelle Machan, Francesca Billings, Grace Schultz and Emery Greene.

Mrs. Rohdy's students

Calvin Bosworth, Colt Hagemann and Jose Romero Victoria

4th Grade

Back Row: Jovany Vazquez-Silva, Mia Lopez, Avery Bounds, Lilly Lopez and Elijah Hogue.

Front Row: Adley Boyer, Ella Samuel, Jace White and Jazzmyn Ramon.

3rd Grade

Back Row: Crosby Hemenway, Mason Chorba, Madelyn Price, Claire Fuller, Aubrey Tuka, Kayden Procter and Allen Kiggins.

Front Row: Ethan Souers, Aubrey Kirby, Sofia Trejo, Zander Holland, Isaiah Bailey, Freyja Mitchell, Shelby Mott-Hill and Ethen Kidd.

1st Grade

Back Row: Cade Miller, Aria Garrelts, Hazeen Galvan, Vivian Tapia and Greysyn Billings.

Front Row: Carleen Unger, Sonny Jo Craig, Aurora Mammel and Louisa Hebert.

Shout Out Friday

Community Events

Helpful Information

Reminders

OUTSIDE LUNCHES: The district does not allow outside lunches to be delivered to school for students.

SICK CHILD: Please call the office and report that you are keeping your child home due to illness. The Cass Van Buren Health Department requires schools to report illnesses every week.

FLIP FLOPS & SANDALS: Please do not send your student to school with flip flops or sandals. Tennis shoes are best for this time of year.