Dryden Community Schools Newsletter

Dear #proudcardinal Families,

As we bring the school year to a close, I want to take a moment to reflect on the many accomplishments of our students across the district. This year has been filled with academic achievement, artistic expression, athletic success, and personal growth. From spelling bees and musical performances to intense athletic contests and community service, our students have continually impressed us with their talent, dedication, and resilience.

These accomplishments would not be possible without the unwavering support of our families and staff. Thank you for being an essential part of our shared mission to empower every learner.

I encourage all students and their families to take time to rest, recharge, and explore new interests during the summer months. Whether you're traveling, spending time outdoors, reading a great book, or simply enjoying time with family and friends, I hope this summer brings joy and relaxation to each of you.

We look forward to welcoming everyone back in the fall for another exciting year of learning and growth. The district calendar for the 2025-2026 school year can be found below.

Yours in Education,

Mary Finnigan

Superintendent

On Monday, May 26, the Dryden High School graduating classes of 2025 and 2037 continued the longstanding tradition of walking together in Dryden's Memorial Day Parade.

Thank you, voters, for your support of our May 2023 Bond Proposal. We appreciate your trust in us to be responsible financial stewards and allocate money in the best interest of our students.

It will be another busy summer at Dryden Elementary and Dryden High School. These projects are expected to be completed by the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year:

Dryden Elementary School

• Enlarging upstairs classrooms
• Replace floors
• Replace windows
• Replace stairways and ramps
• Secure Main Office
• Secure Entry

Dryden High School

• Early College Center
• Secure Main Office
• Secure Entry

The bleachers at Stremler Field will be replaced after the conclusion of the 2025 football season.

The School of Choice window is now open through August 21, 2025 . Applications MUST be submitted by August 21 to either the High School or Elementary School secretaries.

School of Choice applications can be found on our website at the link below. Please feel free to contact Lori Hall at lhall@drydenschools.org or 810-448-4090 for more information.

All incoming Begindergarten, Kindergarten, and 7th Grade Students must be up-to-date on their immunizations by this fall. Lapeer County Health Department has the Tdap., Meningitis, and Chickenpox (varicella) vaccines along with all CDC and ACIP recommended vaccines available for children needing them to meet school requirements.

Call 810-667-0448 to see if your child’s immunizations are up-to-date before the new school year this fall. If you choose to get a waiver, you must make an appointment with the Lapeer County Health Department to receive one.

Please mail, bring to the high school office, or fax to 810-796-3698, a copy of your child’s updated immunization record on or before Monday, August 18, 2025. If you have any further questions, please contact Lori Hall at 810-448-4090 or at lhall@drydenschools.org

Dear Cardinal Families,

Next week marks the end of our school year with three half-days of school on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday (June 4, 5, and 6). Students will attend each of their classes for an extended exam period, and school will be dismissed at 10:35 a.m. each day. High school students may be taking an exam or completing a project; junior high classes do not have exams.

Dryden High School's summer office hours are Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. for the months of June (beginning June 9), July, and August (until school starts). The building is closed on Fridays.

Thank you for your endless support of our students this year. We are proud to work with our students and their families to create successful learning opportunities for all, and we wish you a happy and healthy summer break filled with lasting memories.

As always, please let us know if you have any questions or if we can help in any way.

Warmly,

Mary Finnigan

Dryden High School Principal

College Decision Day is a national celebration of all high school seniors and transfer students, especially those from low-income, underrepresented, and first-generation college-going backgrounds who have committed to pursuing higher education — whether at a community college, a four-year college or university, or a professional training program, or by joining the military. Former First Lady Michelle Obama started celebrating College Signing Day at the White House as part of the Reach Higher initiative. As the tradition continues, we were thrilled to take part in a network of over 2500 events nationwide right here in Dryden. Celebrating our seniors' success means more than a party; it means they know we are proud of their hard work, invested in their futures, and excited to see what they do next.

Our College Decision Day event took place on May 1. Seniors were encouraged to wear a shirt with the name of their chosen school, program, or military branch.

Students completed four stations:

1. Intention: students decorated the Commons Area windows with their higher education commitment

2. Photos: students had an opportunity for group pictures

3. Gratitude: students wrote a thank you note to someone who has helped them reach their goals

4. Advice: students signed a banner giving advice to underclassmen

On Saturday, April 26, Dryden Community Schools proudly celebrated our students' achievements during the 13th annual Fine Arts Festival. K-12 student art was displayed in the library, the Dryden Bands performed concerts, and the Drama Club presented their production of Get a Clue!. Thank you to all who attended and supported our students!

On Saturday, May 10, 2025, the Dryden Junior/Senior Prom was held at Solitude Links Golf Course with the theme "An Evening in Paris". Fifty-six students and guests enjoyed a beautiful evening. Seniors Michael Stickler and Keira Miller were crowned Prom King and Queen. The Prom Committee (Caila Fitchett, Cara Prusakiewicz, Dylan Lasher, and Brenden Peter) celebrated after many months of planning and many hours of hard work.

Dryden High School is proud to recognize senior Jade Insley for her outstanding achievement in graduating from the first-ever Lapeer County EMT cohort. Jade is among just 13 students across Lapeer County selected for this prestigious and pioneering program, a testament to her initiative, commitment, and dedication to pursuing a career in emergency medical services.

The EMT cohort, a collaborative effort between Lapeer County ISD and Lapeer EMS, was created to address the growing need for qualified EMS professionals across Michigan. Students enrolled in Medical Careers, Public Safety, or Nursing Careers programs at Lapeer County EdTech were eligible for selection. Participants underwent a rigorous 260 hours of training, which included 145.5 hours of lecture, 78.5 hours of practical lab sessions, and 36 hours of ambulance clinical ride time.

Upon successful completion of the program, students become eligible to take the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) certification exam. Passing the exam enables the State of Michigan to issue them a license to practice as Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs).

The initiative goes beyond technical training. By offering mentorship and specialized instruction — including a focus on senior citizen care — the program aims to reduce barriers to entry in the healthcare field and enhance access to EMS services, particularly for vulnerable populations.

As Jade prepares to take the NREMT exam and move one step closer to earning her EMT license, Dryden High School celebrates her success and applauds her trailblazing spirit.

In education, dual enrollment (DE) involves students being enrolled in two separate, academically related institutions. Generally, it refers to high school students taking college courses. The state of Michigan allows students in grades 9 through 12 to enroll in post-secondary courses. Students can take up to 10 college courses while in high school. Contact Mrs. Fleming for additional information, if interested (kfleming@drydenschools.org).

OPPORTUNITIES WITH SIX HIGHER EDUCATION PARTNERS!

Students enrolled in the Dryden Early College Academy have the opportunity to continue their education at one of six post-secondary institutions: Baker College, Ferris State University, Oakland University, Macomb Community College, Mott Community College, or the University of Michigan-Flint.

Dear Cardinal Families,

As we wrap up another wonderful school year, we want to take a moment to reflect on the many accomplishments and express our heartfelt gratitude for your continued support. This year has been one of exciting growth—our students have made tremendous progress academically and socially, and we remain deeply committed to doing our best by each and every student and family. With your partnership, we have grown stronger, and we will continue to strive for excellence year after year.

We’d also like to extend a sincere thank you to our dedicated staff and amazing families. Your support, encouragement, and involvement have made a significant impact on the success of our students and school community. Together, we are making Dryden Elementary a place where every child feels valued and empowered to learn and grow.

Bond Project Updates

Thanks to the community’s support of our bond, we’ve made substantial improvements to our school facilities over the past year, including:

• New roofing and HVAC systems for improved comfort and efficiency

• A new electronic sign to enhance communication with families

• Upgraded boilers to ensure consistent heating throughout the building
  
  

Looking ahead, we’re excited about upcoming bond projects that will continue to enhance the safety and learning environment at Dryden Elementary. These include:

• New windows, lockers, flooring, bleachers

• Concrete work around the campus

• Important safety upgrades- front office renovations
  
  

Because of this extensive work, Dryden Elementary will be closed from June 9–22. As a result, there will be no Cardinal Camp (Summer School) for K–6 students this summer. We appreciate your understanding as we work to improve our school for the benefit of all students.

Summer Programs and Hours

• Child Care will operate Monday–Thursday from 6:30 AM – 6:00 PM beginning June 23rd.

• Closed: Week of July 4th and August 11–15
  

• Kindergarten Jump Start (invitation only) will run from June 24 – July 31, Tuesdays–Thursdays, 8:30 AM – 1:00 PM.

• Closed: June 30 – July 4

• Dryden Elementary summer hours will vary due to bond work. Please call (810) 448-4002 or email Rachel Marinkovski at rmarinkovski@drydenschools.org for assistance.

• School playgrounds will be closed to the public during summer programming hours. Please refer to posted signs for hours and supervision guidelines.
  
  

Fall Planning & Registration

If you're looking ahead to fall, we encourage families to plan early:

• For Cardinal Early Learning Academy or Cardinal Club (Latchkey) registration information, contact Mrs. Falotico at (810) 448-4085.

• The Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) is now accepting applications for the 2025–2026 school year. Please contact Mrs. Koroleski at (810) 448-4086 or email her at lkoroleski@drydenschools.org
  
  

Mark Your Calendars

• SnoCone Social: August 13 from 4:00–7:00 PM

• First Day of School: August 18 (Half Day – Dismissal at 12:10 PM)
  
  

Thank you again for your unwavering support. Every year, we grow stronger together, and it’s because of families like yours. We are proud of how far we’ve come and even more excited about the future ahead. Here's to a safe, relaxing, and joyful summer!

Warm regards,

Mrs. Abromaitis

Principal

Dryden Elementary

Our first LEAF cohort of students moves to 6th grade in the fall! Six years ago the LEAF program started in Lapeer County when our current fifth grade students were in Kindergarten. Each year we add on the Kindergarten class and next year all students at the elementary school will be part of the LEAF program!

The Lapeer County Education Attainment Fund (LEAF) is a children’s savings program brought to you by the Lapeer County Community Foundation, ELGA Credit Union and the Lapeer County Intermediate School District. LEAF provides kindergarteners with a savings account seeded with $25, and is designed to help students start saving for college or career training expenses. Currently all Begindergarten through fourth grade students in a public school in Lapeer County, including students at Dryden Elementary School, are enrolled in the LEAF program.

LEAF also provides financial education to students. Every year ELGA Credit Union staff come to Dryden Elementary school to help students learn about saving and planning for the future. This year our fourth graders, the oldest students in the LEAF program, took a field trip to the Dryden branch of the Oxford Bank.

The LEAF account is a CSA (Children’s Savings Account.) All savings are dedicated to career training/education after high school. This includes tuition for traditional 2/4-year degrees, professional training, or skilled trades’ certification. LEAF can also be used for other educational expenses such as lab supplies and textbooks. For more information, see the LEAF program under the elementary school on our district website.

Bowling: The Girls team finished 6-4 and placed 2nd in their division, with Mikayla Fleming and Chloe Deloy earning 1st Team All-Conference honors and Brooke Dombrowski making 2nd Team. Several players received Big Thumb Conference Scholar Athlete awards, and five advanced in the conference singles tournament, where Mikayla placed 2nd and Chloe 4th. The Boys team finished 2-8 and 4th in their division, with Sean Finnigan making 1st Team All-Conference and Dylan Lasher and Brenden Peter earning 2nd Team honors. At regionals, the boys placed 9th, with Sean Finnigan finishing 8th in singles, just 10 pins short of qualifying for states.

Cheer: Cheer started off slow this season with only three participants, as many from the fall season chose to play basketball or opted out of sideline cheering. Despite this, the team had several accomplishments, including senior captain Jade Insley finishing her last season and expressing her gratitude for the return of cheerleading at Dryden. The girls welcomed 5th grader Addy Mersino to join them on the sidelines, eventually making her the team manager and getting her a middle school uniform. Their enthusiasm and spirit earned praise from parents, making this season a success in rebuilding Dryden’s cheer program.

Boys Basketball: The Dryden boys varsity basketball team had a successful and exciting season that began with our annual team camp experience at Gaylord in June 2024 and concluded with a heart breaking overtime loss in the district finals. We showed constant improvement while winning the Paul Grondin Tournament and finishing second in the league. We were able to accomplish this with a very young roster that included four sophomores on varsity. The future is bright - we had 22 players finish the season on the varsity and JV squads.

Girls Basketball: Finish 12-11, but their performance went beyond their record. Coach Leija led a small squad and was competitive in most of their games, often punching above their weight. Three players received all conference honors. We also had a junior high team for the first time in years. The task now is trying to continue to grow the program.

Go Cardinals!

Mr. Brian Tresnak

Athletic Director

Coach Jill Grusnick: jgrusnick@drydenschools.org

June:

Open Gyms every Monday Starting June 9th (June 9, 16, 23, 30) from 6–8 PM

July:

All Skills Camp: July 14–16

• General: 1–3 PM

• Varsity: 12–4 PM

Open Gyms on July 21 and 28 from 6–8 PM

August:

Alumni Game: August 8 at 6:30 PM

High School Tryouts:

• August 11: 4–6 PM

• August 12: 12–2 PM

• August 13: 2–4 PM

Cardinal Night: August 12 from 4–7 PM

Coach John Delcampo: (586) 918-3220 email: coachdelcampo@aol.com

June

Open Gyms:

June 2 & 3 at 6:00 PM

June 4 & 5 at 10:45 AM

Cramer Basketball Camp:

June 6 at 1:00 PM

June 7 at 10:00 AM

(Focus on shooting and offensive moves)

Home Game Nights at Dryden:

June 10 vs. North Branch & Memphis

June 12 vs. Brown City & Vassar

June 17 vs. Genesee Christian & Cass City

June 19 vs. Caro & Imlay City

(Games start at 5:00 PM and run hourly through 8:00 PM)

Team Camp:

June 22–25 in Gaylord

Coach Marcus Leija: (810) 614-8342 Mmllandscaping@gmail.com

Schedule: TBA

Coach Hunter Gall: (810) 706-0359 Email: drydenfootball@outlook.com

• Regular Workouts Begin June 17:
  Tuesdays & Thursdays: 4:30–7:00 PM
  Wednesdays: 5:00–6:00 PM
  
  

• 5v5 Competitions:
  July 9: 4:00–7:00 PM at Peck
  July 29: 6:00 PM at New Haven Merritt

Welcome New Coach Emma Willett: (419) 906-9290 emmawillett2017@gmail.com

• Schedule: TBA

• Join Remind for most current information: Send a text to 81010 with the message "@drydencro"

On Monday, April 21, eight Dryden High School athletes, accompanied by Athletic Director Brian Tresnak and Head Varsity Football Coach Hunter Gall, attended a meeting of the Detroit Economic Club at the MotorCity Casino Hotel.

Brad Galli, WXYZ-TV Channel 7 Sports Director, moderated a panel discussion, which included Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press Lions Reporter; Will Burchfield, 97.1 The Ticket Sports Writer; Nick Baumgardner, The Athletic Senior Writer & NFL Draft Analyst; and Rod Wood, Detroit Lions President.

Sophomore Luke Taylor gained valuable knowledge at the event. “I really enjoyed the Detroit Economic Club meeting,” Taylor commented. “Meeting Detroit Lions President Rod Wood was a fun experience. We learned a lot about the NFL draft and who the Lions have their eyes on for the upcoming season.”

Echoing the sentiment, junior Ian Tresnak reflected, “It was a good way to learn about the business side of the Detroit Lions. It was extremely fun to hear the NFL draft analysis from experienced people.” Dryden senior Owen Gall will take a lesson from the event into his future. “I learned”, Gall said, “if you are passionate about something, the best way to get started in that career is experience, even if it doesn’t pay the best.”

All student-athletes who attended had one comment in common when they contemplated their experience. “The best thing about the event was the lunch and how much good food there was,” observed sophomore Santiago Perales.

Dryden students Logan Korth, Adam Cooper, and Callum Brown also attended the event.

According to their website, the Detroit Economic Club (DEC) was formed in 1934 as a non-partisan, non-profit organization committed to the discussion and debate of important business, government, and social issues. Fortune 100 CEOs and top government officials continue to deliver thought leadership on our dynamic world from the DEC’s storied podium.

Four County Community Foundation holds several funds that award grants directly to your local community. Grants support your schools, your museums, your food pantries, your local parks and trails and so much more. Consider donating to your Community Fund today!

Your donation will come right back to your local community.

Stacey Abromaitis

Dryden Elementary School Principal

Loraine Brinker

Dryden High School Assistant Principal

Brian Tresnak

Athletic Director

Mary Finnigan

Superintendent/Dryden High School Principal

Email: MFinnigan@drydenschools.org
Website: https://www.drydenschools.org/
Location: 3866 Rochester Road, Dryden, MI, USA
Phone: 810-796-9534
Facebook: facebook.com/DrydenCommunitySchools