Panther Express

Dear Dry Creek Families,

If you are reading this on Friday evening, our Daughter Dance is happening now! We hope our Panthers and their special guests are enjoying a wonderful evening together filled with music, laughter, and special memories. A heartfelt thank-you to our PTC members and volunteers whose time, creativity, and hard work make events like this possible. We are so grateful for the experiences you help create for our Dry Creek families!

A reminder that there is no school next Wednesday, November 11, in observance of Veterans Day. We are grateful for the brave men and women who have served our country and honor their sacrifices in protecting the freedoms we enjoy. We are especially grateful for the veterans who are part of our Dry Creek community.

Our school marquee has been experiencing some technical difficulties due to its age, and we are currently working with the company to get everything back up and running. In the meantime, we have temporarily paused new birthday marquee sign-ups until the issue is resolved. If you have already purchased a birthday message and it does not appear on the marquee, please give our front office a call. We will be happy to work with you directly to make it right. Thank you for your patience and understanding!

As we approach the holiday season, let’s keep attendance a priority. Every day of learning matters, and being at school gives our students the opportunity to grow, connect, and make the most of each day.

At Dry Creek, we want to continue fostering an environment where learning, positive relationships, and student engagement are always the focus. To help maintain an academic setting, we ask that students leave toys, games, trading items, and other personal playthings at home. These items can become distractions during the school day and sometimes lead to unnecessary disagreements. We appreciate your help in reinforcing this expectation.

We also want to share a friendly reminder for our upper-grade students about our “No Love at Dry Creek” expectation. At Dry Creek, our focus is on learning, friendship, and building positive relationships with all classmates. Romantic relationships are not part of our school environment. We encourage all students to focus on friendship, kindness, respect, and being part of a welcoming school community.

Thank you for your continued partnership and for making Dry Creek such a wonderful place to learn and grow!

In Gratitude & Service,

Mrs. Gill

November 9th- Jog-a-Thon Incentive-Gaming w/Gill

November 10th-13th- Gobble Grams

PTC Meeting

November 11th-Veteran's Day, No School

November 12th- 3rd Grade Field Trip-Fresno Chaffee Zoo

5th Grade Field Trip-Kearney Mansion

Adapted PE Soccer Clinic, Grade 1-6, Clovis West

November 13th-Elementary Basketball Jamboree

JAT Dippin' Dots & Extra Recess

November 14th- Chess Tournament, Farmersville

November 17th- Primary Literacy Night

Orchestra & Band Rehearsals & Area Concerts

November 19th- JAT Money Machine

Fall Rally

Bus Evacuation Drill

November 20th-Game Day @ DC; Snack Bar

November 23rd-27th- Thanksgiving Break

December 2nd- Heritage Night

Wrestling Spirit Night @ BHS

December 3rd- Science Fair Informational Meeting

December 4th- 6 week grading period

Kastner Shoot-Out Wrestling Tournament

Game Day @ DC; Snack Bar

December 9th-16th- Holiday Grams

December 11th- Giving Tree Donations Due; Movie Night; DC @ Woods

December 12th- Pep & Cheer Bullard Showcase; Chess Tournament @ Glacier Point Middle School

December 14th- Kinder Winter Program; 4th grade Winter Program

December 15th- 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Grade Winter Programs

December 18th- TK Winter Program; Cheer Pictures; Game Day @ DC; Snack Bar

December 21st-January 4th- Winter Break

January 5th-School Resumes

Please join me in congratulating Mrs. Morgan Bitter and Mrs. Cynthia Salomonson, our 2026 Crystal Award recipients! The Crystal Award is the most prestigious staff recognition in Clovis Unified, and these two incredible educators are so deserving of this honor. Their dedication, care, and commitment to students make a lasting difference in our school community. They pour into our students on a daily basis and we are so fortunate to have them as part of our Dry Creek family! Both will be recognized at the Crystal Award Ceremony on February 24, 2027.

How do children learn to read, and how can you help your child become a confident reader? Join us on Tuesday, November 17, for Primary Literacy Night!

Our grade-level teachers will lead engaging presentations tailored to your child’s specific grade level. You’ll learn how reading is taught, practiced, and assessed, along with practical strategies and resources you can use at home to support your child’s growth as a reader.

Why does early literacy matter? Strong reading skills developed in the early grades provide an important foundation for future academic success, helping children build the skills they need to learn across all subject areas.

The Fresno County Public Library will also be joining us to help families sign their children up for their very own library cards! You'll leave with helpful resources and ideas to keep the learning going at home. We hope you can join us!

Bonus! Families will also have the opportunity to win prizes through our raffle!

Winter sports are officially underway, and we are excited to cheer on our Panthers! We can’t wait to see our DC community come out and show their support throughout the season. Our first game is at Dry Creek vs. Copper Hills on November 20th.

We are also excited for our first Heritage Night of the 2026–27 school year on December 2! All students and families are welcome to attend—you do not need to be a presenter to join in the celebration. This special evening is for our entire Panther community to come together, share our stories, and celebrate the cultures and traditions that make Dry Creek so special.

What stories, traditions, and people have helped shape who you are? In celebration of our district’s theme, “Our Story, Our Strength,” Dry Creek invites students to share a meaningful part of their heritage or family life. Our Panther community grows stronger when we learn about one another, appreciate our differences, and discover what we share. Students in grades 4-6 may participate and are eligible to earn 1 Block DC point.

Here is a list of the Multi-Cultural and/or Heritage Events Mrs. Gill has or will announce to our students through a daily video announcement. Let us know if there is a holiday we missed!

September/October/November

Labor Day - September 2 Patriot Day - September 11 Mexican Independence Day - September 16

Chinese Moon Festival Day - September 17 Rosh Hashanah - October 2

Yom Kippur - October 11 Sukkot - October 16 United Nation's Day - October 24

Diwali - October 31 All Saints' Day - November 1 Day of the Dead - November 1

Veteran's Day - November 11 Thanksgiving - November 28

December/January/February

Jamhuri Day - December 12 Las Posadas - December 16 Hanukkah - December 25

Christmas - December 25 Hmong New Year - January 1

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - January 15

Vietnamese New Year (Tet Nguyen Dan) - January 29 Chinese New Year - February 10

Black History Month - Month of February Vasant Panchami - February 2

President's Day - February 17 N'Cwala Festival - February 22 Ramadan - February 28

March/April/May/June

Hina Matsuri - March 3 St. Patrick's Day - March 17 Holi - March 14

Eid-el-Fitr - March 29 Iranian New Year (Nowruz) - March 20

Passover - April 12 Vaisakhi - April 14 Easter - April 20 Earth Day - April 22

Feast of Ridvan - April 21 Cinco de Mayo - May 5 Mother's Day - May 11

Vesak - May 12 Memorial Day - May 26 Shavuot - June 1

For the safety of all students, staff, and visitors, only CUSD district vehicles are allowed on campus without special permission. Motorized bikes, scooters, and golf carts are not allowed on the Dry Creek Elementary campus.

This includes during arrival, dismissal, and after-school events. We appreciate your help in keeping our campus safe and walk-friendly for everyone.

Thank you for your continued support and cooperation!

To help keep all students safe and healthy, please remember that outside food deliveries, including DoorDash and other delivery services, are not permitted during the school day. Additionally, please do not bring full-size pizzas or other large food items to share with friends. Food sharing is not permitted on campus as a student safety precaution.

If you need to drop off lunch for your child, you are welcome to leave it at the lunch cart located by the New MPR. Thank you for helping us maintain a safe and healthy environment for every Panther!

The Clovis Unified Dress Code Policy applies to all students in grades TK–12, including our elementary Panthers. One important reminder: students must wear shoes with a secure heel strap—no slides or flip-flops, please!

To view the full dress code guidelines, visit: www.cusd.com/DressCode.aspx

Thank you for partnering with us to ensure your child arrives at school dressed for success and ready to learn. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to our Woods staff!

Thank you for partnering with us to ensure your child arrives at school dressed for success and ready to learn. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to our Dry Creek staff!

Calling all volunteers! Get going on your application early this year!

All volunteers must...

• Complete a Volunteer Application online at https://apps.raptortech.com/Apply/MjIyNTplbi1VUw==
• Have a current clear TB assessment within the last 4 years.
• Check in at the front office and wear a visitor’s badge while on campus.
• NEW for 26-27: Visitors must be a cleared volunteer to attend classroom parties and to be entered into grade level field trip chaperone lotteries, including the 6th grade Sonora chaperone lottery.

Additionally, volunteers who are sick or have illness related symptoms should not volunteer.

Clovis Unified provides free breakfast and lunch to all students each school day. Our healthy, nutritious meals help students stay energized, focused, and smiling throughout the day!

Dry Creek's annual Gobble Gram fundraiser kicks off November 10th-18th!

Student Council needs your help! Please use the link below to sign up for a shift to help sell Gobble Grams before and after school next week.Thank you for helping keep this Dry Creek tradition going strong!

Email: drycreek@cusd.com

Website: drycreek.cusd.com
Location: 1273 North Armstrong Avenue, Clovis, CA 93619
Phone: (559) 327-6500
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DryCreekElem/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drycreekelementary/