Doyon News
Friday, September 12, 2025
Dear Doyon Families,
We have successfully navigated our first full, five day week of school! Our school building is humming with joyful learners learning and teachers leading classrooms in engaging activities. Our focus here at school continues to surround helping children re-acclimate to our school community and adjust to their new classroom learning spaces. This will continue for the next couple of school weeks, helping us to build clear, predictable routines and procedures.
We hope that you were able to enjoy FRIES' community gathering at Marini Farm. It's certainly exciting for us to group up as an Ipswich elementary school community. Next week, you're welcome to join us in the Paul F. Doyon Memorial School library on Wednesday at 7:00 PM for our first FRIES meeting. This is a great opportunity to get involved and support our school.
As always, we are grateful to you all for supporting our team. Please be in touch with any questions or wonderings, and be sure to peruse this newsletter in entirety to make sure you're in the know on all of the great things we have happening!
Warmly,
Mr. Whitehouse-Mullen & Mrs. Benincasa
Please save the date! Please note that these times have adjusted slightly.
- Thursday, September 25: Curriculum Night Grades - 2nd, 3rd & 4th (5:15 - 7:15 PM)
- Tuesday, September 30: Curriculum Night Grades Pre-K, K, 1st & 5th (5:15 - 7:15 PM)
Grade-Level Presentation Times (Locations to be Announced)
Thursday, September 25:
- Grade 2: 5:15 PM
- Grade 3: 5:15 PM
- General Session: 6:00 PM
- Grade 4: 6:30 PM
Tuesday, September 30:
- Grade PreK & K: 5:15 PM
- General Session: 6:00 PM
- Grade 1: 6:30 PM
- Grade 5: 6:30 PM
This year, our school will continue to explore CARES and deepen our understanding of what it means to display these prosocial attributes. This work directly intertwines with our commitment to being a Responsive Classroom school. We will continue to consider the Responsive Classroom CARES acronym, wondering: How do students show Cooperation, Assertion, Responsibility, Empathy, and Self-Control?
*The deadline to submit an application for School Council is Tuesday, September 16, 2025.*
Are you interested in serving as a parent representative on the Doyon School Council? We are anticipating at least one vacancy on the School Council at this time.
What is a School Council?
A school council is a representative, school-building-based committee comprised of the principal, parents, teachers, and community members that work together to establish goals, shape the policies and programs of the school, and improve student achievement. The school council assists the school administration in:
Adopting educational goals for the school that are consistent with local educational policies and statewide student performance standards
Identifying the educational needs of students attending the school
Reviewing the annual school building budget
Formulating a school improvement plan
School councils also serve as a voice and sounding board for the school community. Each member of the council is available to hear concerns and suggestions from parents, teachers, students, and the community at large.
The Doyon School Advisory Council consists of parent representatives, teacher representatives, administrative representatives, and one community representative. The mission of the School Advisory Council is to develop the school improvement plan through monthly meetings with input from all different representatives involved in the school: parents, teachers, administration, and community members.
The Doyon School Council typically meets once per month on a Wednesday at 5:30 PM alternating in-person and via zoom. Our first meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, October 15 at 5:30 PM in the Doyon Library. All school council meetings are open to the public and all parents are welcome to attend.
If you are interested in joining the school council, please fill out this Google Form.
Should there be a larger interest than spaces available, elections will be held during Curriculum Nights and the information provided in the Google Form will be made public.
Thank you to all who ordered or donated balls and recess equipment for the students. They appreciate it!
Annual Mum Sale: Last week to order Mums! Purchase your Mums now and pick up at the ice-cream social on September 19th from 5:00 -7:00 PM on the front lawn of Doyon.
https://doyon-fries.membershiptoolkit.com/form/m/351556.
All proceeds from this fundraiser go towards FRIES to help with enrichment programs throughout the year, community events, and teacher appreciation. Order now!
Ice cream Social: Friday, September 19th 5:00pm - 7:00pm
We are still looking for a few volunteers to scoop ice cream. Join us for a delicious ice cream and some time to play! This year the mum pick up will be out in front and the event will take place in back of the school where everyone will have access to the playground. We hope to see you there!
*Dairy free options will be available.
To volunteer, please click link https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E4EAFA92EA7F5C34-58381760-icecream.
September F.R.I.E.S. Meeting:
Wednesday, September 17th 7:00 pm in Doyon's School Library
*(Please note the time change from last year)
Every other month the meeting will be held via zoom in hopes that more people will be able to attend.
New to the school and not sure what F.R.I.E.S is?? Check out the flyer below for more info.
Be part of the school wide PTO to help fund and organize student enrichment programs, teacher appreciations, and events for the school.
Some topics being discussed in this month's meeting:
- November event brainstorming and planning
- Teacher requests for funding
- Winter school dance ideas
- Open to future events or fundraising ideas
Trying something new. Anonymous survey to submit questions, concerns, ideas etc to the FRIES board to be brought up during monthly meeting. https://s.surveyplanet.com/ypunv6hd
Spooky Walk: Saturday, October 4th 4:30pm - 8:00pm
It's that time of year again! Fall is in the air and F.R.I.E.S annual Spooky Walk at Doyon is here!
Rain date is set for the following day Sunday, October 5th 4:30pm - 8:00pm
4:30-5:30 is sensory friendly hour. We will no have flashing lights or loud music during this time.
To purchase tickets please click here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/spooky-walk
The Spooky Walk is one of biggest events of the year! We need all the help we can get to make this come together. Even just one hour of your time can make a huge difference. We have many ways to help contribute to this exciting event. See all the ways you can contribute below!
https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/10C0E4AAAA62FA2FCCE9-58331003-spooky
Parent Involvement Survey: Follow this link for the FRIES Parent Involvement Survey. Thanks for your feedback!
Doyon Green Team needs your gently used, clean, Elementary-age, Halloween costumes for the annual Costume Shop and Swap at this year’s Spooky Walk taking place on Saturday, October 4th. The Costume Shop and Swap is FREE with purchase of Spooky Walk tickets. There will be a collection bin outside of Doyon for the costumes starting Friday, September 5th. Stay Green and have your kiddos come shop the costume swap at the Spooky Walk!
Third graders are invited to register for Book Buddies, a monthly after-school book club at the Ipswich Public Library. Book Buddies meets one Thursday a month, October through May, from 2:30 to 3:15 p.m. Children read an assigned, age-appropriate novel in advance of each meeting and then join their peers to discuss the book and enjoy a snack.
https://ipswichlibrary.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/book-buddies-a-53/
First graders are invited to register for First Grade Junior Great Books, which meets one Wednesday a month, October through May, from 3:30 to 4:15 p.m. Based on the acclaimed Junior Great Books curriculum, children are exposed to high quality stories, which they talk about with their peers, followed by a simple craft project. Snacks are provided.
https://ipswichlibrary.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/first-grade-junior-great-books-40/
Hello Doyon Families!
Please keep your children home if they have a fever or are feeling ill. To return to school, they must be fever free for 24 hours and generally feeling better. I do try and track school illnesses and trends so please let me know.
Also, any time your child is seen by the doctor for an injury, please grab a note in terms of activity restrictions and limitations for me as well as for gym. Thank you in advance!
Other housekeeping notes:
1. Please bring in any medications (including epipens and inhalers). All orders need to be renewed each year with a doctor's signature
2. Preschool and Kindergarten parents- please send in any physicals/immunizations along with proof of a lead test
3. First and fourth graders need a physical done within the past year so please send in or schedule with your pediatrician soon
As always, I am here to help and answer any questions you may have.
Mary Sforza RN, MSN, NCSN
Doyon School Nurse
