Dryden Community Schools Newsletter

Dear Cardinal Families,

Welcome to a brand-new school year: a fresh page in our Dryden Community Schools story! Each fall, we gather to open a new chapter, ready to write the next part of our shared journey in learning, growth, and community. Whether you are joining us for the first time or returning for another chapter, we are grateful to have you as part of our Cardinal family.

Over the summer, our teachers, staff, and administrators have been hard at work preparing the setting for this year’s story. Classrooms have been refreshed, lessons have been planned, and new opportunities are ready to be discovered. Our buildings have also had their own character developments, from concrete work and new flooring and lockers at Dryden Elementary to a new and redesigned workspace for Dryden Early College students at Dryden High School as well as office renovations at both buildings, each upgrade was designed to make our learning spaces safer, more comfortable, and more inspiring for students and staff alike. These changes set the stage for an even more engaging and successful school year.

In Dryden, we pride ourselves on knowing each student by name and story. Each day offers a chance to turn the page to something new: a skill mastered, a friendship formed, a challenge overcome. Together, we will write moments worth remembering and chapters we’ll look back on with pride.

As we open the book on the 2025–2026 school year, let’s commit to making it a story worth telling: a year where we support one another, celebrate our successes, and learn from the twists and turns along the way.

The first day of school is a half day on Monday, August 18. There will be no school on August 22, August 29, or September 1. The school year calendar can be found at the bottom of this newsletter.

Please reach out to us if we can help you or your family in any way. Here’s to turning the page and beginning a wonderful new chapter--together.

Yours in Education,

Mary Finnigan

Superintendent

Stay updated on our progress with funds from the bond passed in May 2023 by using this checklist! We appreciate your continued support of our students, our schools, and our community.

Projects at Dryden Elementary

New lockers and flooring

Concrete work

Front office renovations

Projects at Dryden High School

New early college space in the commons area

Main office reconfiguration

Looking Forward

Replacement of bleachers at Stremler Field after football season

Bleacher replacement in the Dryden Elementary Gym

Installation of a new walk-in cooler/freezer in the Dryden High School kitchen

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.

Dryden School of Choice 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 August 18, 2025. If you have any further questions, please contact Lori Hall at 810-448-4090 or at lhall@drydenschools.org

We are thrilled to share that Dryden High School has been entered into the Friday Night 5G Lights promotion! This national initiative from T-Mobile celebrates the spirit of small-town high school football while bringing state-of-the-art technology upgrades to deserving schools across the country.

What does this mean for Dryden High School?

We are now in the running for a chance to win the ultimate grand prize package, which includes:

$1,000,000 to be used towards a game-changing Stremler Field upgrade
A consultation with a stadium experience expert
A weight room upgrade by GronkFitness.com
An unforgettable tailgate party unveiling
And an all-expense-paid trip for school representatives to the SEC Championship game

As a participant, our school is also eligible for additional cash prizes and grants throughout the competition.

How can you help?

Show your #proudcardinal spirit! Community involvement is a key part of this contest. Help us by spreading the word on social media!
Stay tuned for voting details and upcoming events where your participation can help us win.

What can you do today?

Like and share posts on our @DrydenCardinals Instagram account.
Include @TMobile @drydencardinals #FN5GL #Sweepstakes in your Dryden-related Instagram posts. Posts earn us bonus entries!

This is a unique opportunity to showcase our Cardinal Pride and bring lasting benefits to our students and community. We look forward to your enthusiastic support as we compete for this incredible honor!

Thank you for your continued support and dedication to our students and our school.

Traditional school supplies have been purchased by the district. We recommend that all Dryden Elementary School students have a backpack, headphones, a reusable water bottle, and a lunch bag. Please contact the main office if you need help with any of those items.

If you would like to support any of our classrooms, please consider these Amazon Wishlists. Thank you for your generosity!

Mrs. Russell's List - Kindergarten

Mrs. Hearold's List-- Kindergarten

Ms. Lowe's List - 1st grade

Mrs. Raymer's List - 2nd grade

Ms. Marsh's List - 3rd grade

Mrs. Calvert's List - 3rd grade

Mr. Capelli's List - 4th grade

Mrs. Birkett's List - 5th grade

Mrs. Howell's List - 6th grade

Ms. Highley's List - Special Education

Ms. Ludlow's List - Special Education

Ms. Czerwinski's List - English, SAT Prep, Senior Seminar, Drama Club

Learn more about PreSchool and Child Care here!

Dear Cardinal Families,

Welcome Back to Dryden Elementary! We are so excited to welcome our students and families back for another amazing school year! Thank you for trusting us with your children—we take that responsibility to heart every single day. At Dryden Elementary, we are committed to providing a safe, engaging, and inspiring learning environment, and we remain dedicated to continuous improvement. This year, our mantra is Progress Over Perfection—a reminder that growth and learning happen one step at a time.

Over the summer, our bond projects have been moving forward. Some are already completed: HVAC, roof, boilers, electronic sign, concrete work, new lockers, new flooring in the north part of the building, resizing two upstairs classrooms, new flooring in the media center, and front office renovations. Other items are in progress such as window installation and bleacher installation. And still a few are scheduled for the future: south end classroom floors and the south parking lot. These improvements have and will continue to enhance our learning spaces, safety, and overall student experience. We are incredibly grateful to our staff, contractors, and volunteers who worked tirelessly to get our building looking almost brand new with some old charm.

This year brings a change in our Early Childhood program. We extend a warm welcome to Dr. Ryann Morley, our new Early Childhood Director. We look forward to the leadership, care, and expertise she will bring to our youngest learners. Additionally, you will see some new but familiar faces leading classrooms. Finally, we are accepting applications for Free PreSchool for ALL (formerly GSRP). Please contact Mrs. Koroleski for more information.

Please be sure to review the drop-off and pick-up procedures included in this newsletter. These updates are in place to keep our students safe and our traffic flow running smoothly. We also remind families that our school playground is closed to the public during school hours (6:30 a.m.–6:00 p.m., Monday–Friday) for student safety.

As Caring Cardinals, we value kindness, positivity, gratitude, and assuming best intent. We are committed to maintaining a positive school culture where everyone feels valued and welcome. As such, we encourage parents to follow our Peaceful Pathway to resolve conflicts, should they arise, and be responsible when posting on social media as indicated in the Parent Code of Conduct. We know that a strong partnership between home and school is essential to your child’s success, and we encourage you to stay involved and engaged in their education. If you have any questions or if we can help in any way, please call us at (810) 796-2201.

Our first day of school is Monday, August 18, 2025. It is a half day, and students will be dismissed at 12:10. We can’t wait to see you!

Warm Regards,

Mrs. Abromaitis

Principal

OFFICE HOURS
The Dryden Elementary office will be open Monday–Thursday from 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. to answer questions and enroll students through August 14. Regular hours (8:00 a.m.– 4:00 p.m.) resume August 18, 2025. The office will be closed August 22, August 29, and September 1.

BUILDING HOURS

Dryden Elementary will open for students at 8:15 a.m.. The building closes for school business at 4:30 p.m. daily.

PLAYGROUND

The playground is closed to the public daily until 6:00 p.m. Campus closes at dusk. As construction work continues, the playground will be closed after school until completed.

DROP-OFF INFORMATION

Early Childhood drop-offs before 8:10 will be at the south front doors. Infants will be at the north front doors (as usual), and Cardinal Club will be at the Music Door (in the back of the building). Please use care and caution when travelling through the residential neighborhood on Pleasant Street.

The north parking lot (by the gym) is for our K-6th grade parents to drop off and pick up. Kindly remember that we cannot flow onto Mill Street. Please find a parking spot in the north lot. The south lot (by the early childhood playground) is for Early Childhood parents for drop off and pick up. Double and triple parking is NOT PERMITTED. Violators may be ticketed and/or drop-off, pick-up, and/or parking re-assigned.

BK-2nd grade students will enter through the doors at the south end of the building (by the Early Childhood playground). Students in grades 3-6 will enter using the north doors (by the gym and music room) as they have in the past. Parents are welcome to walk with their children to the bottom of the steps.

Any child being dropped off after 8:25 must come into the building through the main front entrance.

PICK-UP INFORMATION

Early Childhood, including GSRP, will dismiss from the south back doors. Parents may meet students and teachers at the bottom of the steps.

BK-6 students will dismiss from the back door by the ramp. Parents may meet their children and teachers on the courtyard sidewalk by the big tree in the back.

PARKING

Spaces in front of the building are limited to 10 minute parking. If you have business with the school that exceeds 10 minutes, please park in the north lot. For everyone’s safety, the front of the building is NOT a designated drop-off or pick-up location during school hours (8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.)

Traditional school supplies have been purchased by the district. Teachers have created Amazon wishlists for those who would like to help. We recommend that each student have a backpack, headphones, a reusable water bottle, and a lunch bag. If your family needs help with any of these items, please contact the main office.

Dryden Elementary opens to students at 8:15 a.m. daily when school is in session. Students are expected to be in class and ready to learn by 8:30 a.m.; otherwise, they will be marked tardy/absent. Our school day ends at 3:35 p.m. At dismissal, students are expected to exit the building unless they are under the direct supervision of a teacher or Cardinal Club staff.

Every day counts! Let’s set a collective goal to “Strive for 5” or less missed days this school year. Please consider scheduling appointments and vacations for outside of school hours/days. Please call the main office regarding attendance matters.

Safety is our top priority! Please review expectations with your child regarding games, items, and topics that are and are not appropriate for the school setting. We remain vigilant in our efforts to keep everyone safe and take all matters seriously, so please encourage your child to say something to a trusted adult if they see or hear something that makes them uncomfortable immediately during the school day. Additionally, parents are encouraged to keep an ear open and report unsafe or suspicious activity.

We continue to follow guidelines from the CDC and Health Department when it comes to illnesses. Please help us by encouraging good personal hygiene and keeping your child home when warranted.

Dryden Elementary Media Center Website

Dear Cardinal Families,

I am excited to welcome everyone back for another school year! I hope your summer was filled with rest, new experiences, and time with loved ones. As we open our doors for the 2025–2026 school year, we look forward to building on our successes and creating new opportunities for growth, learning, and connection.

This year, our focus will be on fostering a positive school culture where every student feels valued, challenged, and supported. Our dedicated teachers and staff have been hard at work preparing classrooms, lessons, and activities that will engage and inspire. Whether you are returning to familiar hallways or joining us for the first time, you are an important part of our school community.

Let’s make this a year filled with perseverance, kindness, and achievement. Together, we can create an environment where every student thrives academically, socially, and emotionally.

Here’s to a great school year ahead!

Warmly,

Mary Finnigan

Dryden Junior/Senior High School Principal

Submit Yearbook senior photos here!

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.

Dual Enrollment

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).