January 09, 2026

Message from the Principal

Happy New Year and Welcome Back!

We hope you and your family enjoyed a joyful and restful winter break. As we begin the new year, we are excited to welcome our students back to school and jump into learning together once again. Thank you for your continued support and partnership—we’re looking forward to a wonderful year ahead filled with growth, smiles, and success!

i-Ready Diagnostic Reminder

Starting next week, our students will be taking the i-Ready Diagnostic. This assessment helps teachers understand each child’s strengths and areas for growth so we can best support their learning. We encourage students to try their very best and take their time. A good night’s rest and arriving to school on time will help your child feel confident and ready to do their best. Thank you for your continued support at home!

Important Message from the School Nurse

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

Schedule of Events

Please note: the newsletter from 12/19/2025 had some dates listed incorrectly. The dates below are correct!

January 14/15: I-Ready ELA testing

January 16: District Spelling Bee @ DMS

January 19: No School, Staff PD

January 21/22: I-Ready Math Testing

January 26: American Heart Association Assembly

January 29: Lockdown Drill

Student of the Month

Congratulations to the Sister Lakes Student of the Month for December, Calvin Mitchell!

Calvin is the son of Kristi and Ryan Mitchell. He has two younger siblings, Josie and Cooper. Calvin is an 8-year-old second-grade student in Mrs. Alsup’s class. He is very athletic and enjoys playing basketball, baseball, soccer, and football. When he grows up, he wants to be a dinosaur archaeologist.

Mrs. Alsup says:
“I chose Calvin as our December Student of the Month because he is a very responsible and hard-working student who always tries his best. Calvin is very kind to everyone around him and always finds ways to encourage his peers.

Thanks to a generous donor, Mrs. Quinn's Kindergarten class received new holiday jammies before the holiday break!

We are so fortunate to have Mrs. Hatch, who goes above and beyond for our students. Not only does she provide strong, engaging instruction in the classroom, but she also generously volunteers her time as one of our Spelling Bee coaches. Her dedication helps students build confidence, sharpen their skills, and develop a love for learning. We truly appreciate the extra time, energy, and heart she gives to our school community.

ATTENDANCE:

It is very important that students are in school everyday, but the school realizes that there are some reasons for excused absences. Please make sure to call the office and let us know when your student is going to be absent or the school will be calling you. When a student returns to school after any period of absence, please send a note stating the reason for the absences.

*If your student(s) is running late, please bring them to the office and sign them in.

*If you need to pick up your child early for any reason please call the office 269-782-4468.

Printable 2025-26 Calendar

Given the increase in illnesses, this serves as a friendly reminder about the importance of proper handwashing.