DHS Back To School Newsletter
August 18, 2025
Dear Dimond Families:
I am thrilled to welcome everyone back to school! We start TOMORROW with our Freshman First Day and then on Thursday with all grade levels and familiar faces. It is going to be a great year, and Dimond is a wonderful community to be a part of! We encourage all of our students to get involved early in the year; join a club, go out for a sport, try new things!
Please be patient the first two weeks with drop off and pick up. Remember to use the sidewalks along the roundabout off 88th, or the student parking lot for student drop-off and pick-up (see the attached map of the drop-off flow). The staff parking lot near the tennis courts is not a drop off location, because it is too dangerous for our staff members walking in through that parking lot. Thank you for keeping staff and student safety a priority.
**A note about our newsletters: We try our best to get them out weekly so to keep them up to day. This first newsletter is always long, but there is lots of important information here. We include a table of contents for easy access, and keep old information available at the bottom of each release in case you need to refer to earlier information. We are constantly working to make the newsletter informative, user-friendly and timely.
We can’t wait to see you!
Warm Regards,
Principal D’Atri
The first day of school for 9th Grade Freshman is Tomorrow 8/19
The first day of school for 9th Grade Freshmen is Wednesday, August 19th!
Freshmen will attend our Freshman Orientation for their first day of school. Orientation activities will include:
Picking up student schedules in the Commons and finding their group for the day; students' names will be on lists outside the Auditeria. After they find their team name, they will head into the Audieria to sit with their Team.
Freshmen will attend an Opening Program including icebreakers, an introduction to our staff, an overview of Freshman experiences, and our Dimond Fight Song.
Students will then spend the day with a small group led by a student mentor. In their groups, they will take a school tour, participate in a Q&A session, set goals for the year, and participate in team building activities in the gym.
Free pizza for lunch!
A mini schedule where they will go to each of their 6 classes and meet their teachers. Students will also have time to find and practice opening their locker.
An end of day Freshman Assembly that will include taking a class photo, Dimond cheers, a Homecoming fashion show, and much more!
If you have lost or broken your chromebook, students will be able to check out chromebooks starting on Monday August 24th. Broken chromebooks may be charged to fix or replace items this year.
Back to School for 10th, 11th and 12th Graders is Thursday 08/20
Cell phones need to be kept in lockers except for lunch. Phones seen during class will be confiscated.
Backpacks should be kept in lockers. Small bags for personal items are allowed (smaller than 8”x11”).
Tardies will start counting on Monday, August 24th.
School Start Times Remain the Same as Last Year
PLC Monday Schedule
Start Time: 9:45 a.m.
Release Time: 3:15 p.m.
Tuesday-Friday Schedule
Start Time: 8:45 a.m.
Release Time: 3:15 p.m.
As a reminder the building is only open to students from 7:45am to 3:45pm. All students not actively participating in after school activities must be cleared out of the building by 4:00pm.
A copy of the Dimond Bell Schedule is below for your convenience.
Busses and Transportation
Drop Off and Pick Up
Please review the traffic flow map. You'll note that there are two primary areas for student drop off and pick up:
The sidewalk area adjacent to the student parking area.
The sidewalk area contained in the front-of-school roundabout.
Please note that all other areas are for staff or buses only. Importantly, although the staff parking area appears a good location for drop-off and pick-up, it cannot be used by non-staff members, as its layout creates safety concerns for those entering and exiting the parking lot: Please do not enter this area.
Thanks for your help in ensuring a safe and smooth start to the school year!
Note from Counselors
Lunch Charges
In preparation for ensuring that your student is set-up for charging lunch, please keep in mind that Student Nutrition will accept payments through Q ParentConnect, at the cafe, or checks sent by mail to Student Nutrition, 1307 Labar Street, Anchorage, Alaska 99515.
See below for more information from the Student Nutrition Department:
For more information about adding to your balance in Q:
https://www.asdk12.org/Page/13241
This is also the perfect time to file for free and reduced meals for this year, to learn more and see if you qualify: https://asdk12.org/Page/13246. For more information, parents may email snadmin@asdk12.org.
Doors Dash, Uber Eats, Etc.
Please do not allow your students to use a food delivery app to get their lunches to school. WE CAN NOT accept them at the front office and will not pull them from class to accept an order, all food deliveries will be rejected or left outside the school.
If your student must use a food delivery app for their lunch it must be delivered to them during lunch, outside the building.
Don’t forget we have great hot school lunches available 5 days a week! Visit Student Nutrition's website for more information. (https://www.asdk12.org/Page/13240)
