Chirp Sheet

When Davison Middle School students return from Winter Break in January 2026, there will be new leadership at the school for 7th and 8th graders. Current Principal Dr. Josie Paquette has announced her plans to retire December 31, 2025. Today, District officials announced that Assistant Principal Cayla Dowdall will succeed Mrs. Paquette as the next building principal.

“I am grateful for the decades of investment and impact that Dr. Paquette has had on Davison Middle School and the District overall,” said Superintendent Matt Lobban. “We will miss her, but are confident that Mrs. Dowdall will serve as a terrific Principal to fill Dr. Paquette's shoes. Cayla has served many roles in education. As a teacher, assistant principal and principal, she has had a significant impact on those she has taught and served alongside. I anticipate the same will be found in her new role.”

Dr. Paquette has served as the principal at DMS since July 1, 2019, beginning her career at DCS in 2003 teaching seventh grade math, honors math and reading. After that first year, she taught seventh grade science, language arts, keyboarding and Technology Literacy. Her longest teaching stint was as an eighth grade science teacher before she was named the Assistant Principal at DMS in 2014.

“As I reflect on my career, I find it poignant that our Davison Community Schools district-wide theme this year was ‘The Power of Connections,’” Mrs. Paquette said. “Middle school is a unique and transformative time for kids, and I have considered it a profound privilege to help DMS students, and the educators of those students, navigate them during these critical years. In fact, I have spent my entire educational career at the middle level because I believe that this time is so pivotal. Through every challenge and celebration, what has remained constant is the power of connections! The trust built with students, the collaboration with colleagues, and the partnerships with our Davison families have not only enriched our school and district, but have deeply enriched me personally. While I may be retiring from the principal’s role, I know I leave DMS in the best of hands. Davison Middle School contains some of the most dedicated and hard working staff I have had the honor of working with and who I now consider family. The fact that I am passing the baton to Mrs. Cayla Dowdall is the icing on the cake. Cayla fosters an immense sense of belonging and community. She leads with warmth and empathy, which has allowed her to already create powerful connections with our students and families. I am looking forward to seeing the continued success and growth at DMS under her leadership.”

Mrs. Dowdall was just a student herself when she was first hired by the District as a student assistant for the now defunct Bridges after school program in 2004. In 2007 she began working as a paraprofessional and served as a long-term substitute in 2010. Later that year, Cayla joined the district as a sixth grade teacher at Hahn Intermediate, a position she held until 2017 when she left to teach fourth grade at Central Elementary. She returned to Hahn Intermediate the following year to teach fifth and sixth grades until leaving the district in 2021 to take on leadership roles in the neighboring Lapeer school district where she served as the Assistant Principal and Athletic Director at Zemmer Middle School (eighth and ninth grade campus) and Principal at Murphy Elementary, an Early Five through fifth grade building.

Mrs. Dowdall has been serving as the Assistant Principal at Davison Middle School since returning to DCS in early 2023.

“I feel incredibly thankful to serve as the next principal of Davison Middle School,” Mrs. Dowdall said. “This community shaped who I am, and being able to give back in such a meaningful way is truly a full-circle moment. It’s a privilege to lead, support and grow alongside the students, families and staff in the place that has always felt like home.”

Cayla earned both her bachelor’s and master's degrees from the University of Michigan-Flint. Her master’s degree is in public administration.

“I have certainly learned so much from Dr. Paquette’s mentorship,” Mrs. Dowdall said. “Her guidance, wisdom and continuous support have helped shape me into the leader I am today, and I will forever be grateful for her. Dr. Paquette’s leadership and dedication have created a strong and positive culture that radiates through the hallways of DMS.”

Cayla and her husband, Tom, have two children: Raegan is a sixth grader and Tommy is in the third grade. She enjoys spending time with family, and her number one favorite thing to do is watch her children play the sports they love!

In her retirement, Mrs. Paquette said she is looking forward to embracing a slower pace and enjoying the simple joys of life.

“My immediate plans are to travel with my husband and explore new places, both near and far,” she said “I'm also excited for more time to relax and have fun—whether that's with a good book, enjoying my morning tea, learning how to play pickleball with my twin boys, or finally picking up the game of golf. Most importantly, I’m looking forward to spending meaningful time with my family and friends, making up for moments missed and cherishing each and every one ahead.”

After being tasked at a leadership conference last fall with developing projects focused on social, emotional and mindfulness of students in their home districts, Davison Early College students came up with a rock solid plan.

The Early College program consists of Davison High School students taking college courses alongside their high school classes. The year's group - Cohort 10 - came up with the idea to work with the district's youngest students to establish a kindness rock garden. They reached out to Mrs. Andrea Bell, who teaches a Developmental Kindergarten class at Thomson Elementary.

"The purpose and importance for the high school students in the Early College program to work with this age, is they felt they could make a larger impact with encouraging kindness at a younger age, and giving them something to be excited about contributing to," explained DHS Early College Coordinator Mr. Marty Quertermous. "The rock garden is something they felt all can contribute to and take from if they felt they saw a rock that inspired them."

Mr. Quertermous said the entire project was student-driven, from the conception of the idea, to planning, to presenting the idea to building administrators for approval, and executing the project. The project included the Early College students giving a mini-“lesson” on what it means to be kind. From there, they discussed how a “Kindness Garden" would work to help grow the acts of kindness. Then came the task of painting the rocks and coming up with the words to express what kindness meant to them.

The rock garden is located to the right of the entrance at Thomson Elementary. A sign at the site reads: "Take one, Share one, Keep one! One day, One rock, One smile at a time. Together we can grow a garden full of kindness."

Mr. Quertermous said future cohorts of DEC students will have the opportunity to create projects of their own, or even continue the idea of adding to or creating additional kindness gardens pending approval.

"I am just extremely proud of the work from this small group of EC students - about nine of them in this group - who were able to pull this off under the leadership of (student) Autumn Bell ,who worked extremely hard on the execution and planning of this," Mr. Quertermous said.

Autumn is the daughter of Andrea and Brandon Bell, both teachers in the district.

"I couldn’t be any more thankful to Andrea for opening up her classroom and allowing this to take place," Mr. Quertermous said.

For more photos, please see our post on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/DavisonCardinals

Congratulations to the following students selected as Students of the Month for June at Davison High School and Davison Alternative Education.

9th Grade: Ty Lewandowski

Nominated by: Mr. Herriman

Ty stands out among his peers in a positive, caring and supportive manner. He is a leader in my Honors Physical Science class as he leads his peers in classroom discussions during our science phenomenon modeling. Ty has great insight to the workings of science that allows him to be a positive influence to his peers as he inspires those around him to excel in their learning. Ty is a hard working student who works diligently. Ty also helps those around him persevere in their academic struggles. This not only promotes student growth, but it creates a culture of learning where students feel safe to ask Ty for help. Ty Lewandowsi is a positive role model whom I highly recommend for Student of the Month.

10th Grade: Addison Fifield

Nominated by: Mr. Sullivan and Mrs. Johnson

Addison is an exemplary student. She works hard and asks great questions. I am continually impressed with her quality of work and organization. Perhaps, more importantly, she is also friendly, patient and helpful. She greets me with a smile every morning and always comes to first hour ready to give it her all. Davison High School is a better place because she is here. Mr. Sullivan added that Addison is a great student, person and leader in class. She is always willing to help out in any way and is a true pleasure to have in class.

11th Grade: Emilee Woodfield

Nominated by: Mrs. Pins & Mrs. Cottrill

Emilee is an outstanding student who consistently upholds the Cardinal Code. She is always willing to help her peers and does so with a smile. Her involvement in the Student Council, participation in the spring musical, and commitment to her job, all while maintaining excellent grades, are commendable. Emilee stands out not only for her leadership skills but also for her kindness and respect toward everyone. She is often the first to volunteer for events and takes the initiative to lead projects, offering support to her fellow students. I strongly believe that Emilee is an excellent candidate for the next Student of the Month award. Thank you for considering her for this recognition.

12th Grade: DeShaun Grays

Nominated by: Miss Zimmer

DeShaun is easily one of the kindest, most respectful people I have met. I have been blessed with knowing DeShaun for all four years of his high school career; he has only gotten kinder, more dependable, and more involved with school as he's matured during his time at DHS. I have seen him consistently support other students (without being asked!) as well as teachers when we've needed someone to step up. He's a member of Key Club and helps out with Links, both being clubs that give back to others. I honestly could not say enough good things about DeShaun.

DAE: Lexi Pruett

Nominated by: Mrs. Zimmerman and Mr. Friske

Mrs. Zimmerman wrote that Lexi is an excellent example to other students because she conducts herself with integrity. Her work is completed on time, and she is rarely absent. She is never a distraction to other students and keeps herself "drama-free." She models good listening skills and then follows the task directions to the best of her ability. These things consistently earn her "As" on assignments. She is a cheerful young lady who works well with classmates as a "go-to person" if they need advice or help getting caught up! I look forward to having Lexi in my class next year! Mr. Friske added that Lexi has adapted extremely well to DAE. She is on time for her classes, prepared, pays attention, and is respectful to him and her fellow classmates. She regularly offers feedback and participates in class discussions, and has been a welcome addition to history class at DAE.

The weather was great for the AP US History field trip to Greenfield Village on Friday, May 30.

Accompanied by teacher Ms. Raina Palso, students visited sites including the Harvey Firestone Homestead, the Sounds of America Gallery. the Soybean Agricultural Gallery and the Daggett Homestead, which is a colonial saltbox house from Connecticut in the mid 1700s.

"The students had a wonderful visit and enjoyed learning the history of these wonderful buildings," Ms. Palso said. "I'm looking forward to visiting again with AP students next year, as 2026 will mark the opening of the Jackson Home in the village, where Dr. King helped to organize key events in the civil rights movement."

Students in our Life Skills programs at both Davison Middle School and Davison High School are celebrating and for good reason.

At Davison Middle School, students recently completed the spring Reading and Math Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) assessment. Davison, along with 50,000 schools and districts in 149 countries, uses the NWEA to track student academic growth. This was the first year that students in Life Skills took the assessment, said Teacher Mrs. Erica Yonkers.

On these assessments, 11 out of 13 students went up five or more Ready for Instruction Today (RIT) points. Several students improved over 10 RIT points!

"These students were very proud of their individual growth and what they achieved," said Mrs. Yonkers.

Nine out of the 11 students are pictured below.

At Davison High School, a similar celebration was taking place in Life Skills classes.

"Over the course of the year, our students have worked hard to overcome many challenges," said Teacher Mr. Chris Hinkley. "From being able to have the stamina to make it through the day, to handling unexpected situations appropriately, all while working hard to grow academically, our Life Skills students have gone the extra mile."

So, it only seemed appropriate to celebrate them with some individual awards. And that's what happened on Thursday, June 12, when a Success Celebration was held. It started with pizza and inspirational speeches by Social Worker Mrs. Emily Judd and Mr. Hinkley. Students were then presented with awards that honored some of their individual growth and successes.

"One of the best parts of our celebration was when one student asked if he could also give a speech," Mr. Hinkley said. "He talked about how thankful he was for his friends, teachers and other staff who have helped him succeed. He was followed by another, and then another student volunteering to speak. This ultimately turned into an organic celebration of our school and classroom communities supporting one another in our quest toward success, as each student took time to speak and express their appreciation for those who have helped them along the way. It was a fantastic day."

Below is a list of awards presented at the Success Celebration. Congratulations to:

• Spencer Lalonde - Endurance Award
• Ayden Hagerman - Helping Hand
• Sa'Mariya Bradshaw-Allen - Shiny Pearl
• Bruce Darch - Curious Innovator
• Coale Simpson - Leadership in Action
• Aiden West - Excellence in Efficiency
• Keegan Kyle - Growth Superstar
• Logan Burleson - Kindness Influencer
• Noah Eskew - Leadership in Progress
• Erin Sharp - Captain Sunshine
• Kross Thompson - Friend to All
• Jayce Liesen - Transition Trailblazer

The Middle School students are pictured below first followed by the DHS Life Skills students.

The P2 Crew is designed to acknowledge students who consistently embody the Positivity Project (P2) character traits and demonstrate the Cardinal Code values. Each month, teachers nominate one student from their class who exemplifies the P2 traits and the Cardinal Code. At the end of the month, a student will be randomly selected from the nominees to serve as the “Crew Leader.” All nominated students are recognized by having their names displayed in a dedicated case, and the Crew Leader has their picture prominently featured. Congratulations to the following students who were selected for the months of May and June:

• Eli Barraco
• Luciano Bautista
• Margaret Cournoyer
• Brady Delecki
• Aria Eickhoff
• Emma Hart
• David Hartman
• Bentley Hennessy
• September Holt
• Parker Husbenet
• Jayden Kinder
• Olivia Lauderbaugh
• Emma MacLeod
• Khaleesia Matthews-O'Neil
• Carson McClanahan
• Riley McRill
• Erion Osborn
• Kane Payton
• Skylar Redick
• Brinley Smith
• Bay Uhrig
• Isa Ward
• Dominic Wallington

The Davison Community Schools' Traveling Library Bus will be making stops once again this summer. Students of all ages are welcome to stop by at any (or multiple) of the stops to pick out a book.

The Davison High School Athletic Department wants to remind student athletes and their parents about academic eligibility standards for those planning to participate in a fall sport.

Incoming sophomores, juniors and seniors must have passed five out of six classes in the previous semester. The 2024-25 second semester grades will be used to determine eligibility for the fall 2025 season.

If a student falls short of this expectation, they will need to take summer school classes to recover the lost credit beyond the one failed class allowed. See more information and the flyer below in today's Chirp Sheet regarding signing up for Summer School.

Davison Community Schools offers credit recovery through the option of summer school classes for high school students.

Students must sign up by July 1. Mandatory orientations where lab time will be assigned will take place on June 30 and July 1.

Each class is worth .5 credits and students can enroll in a maximum of two classes. Classes will take place online, however, weekly lab time is required. Lab hours will be held 8 a.m. to noon at Davison Alternative Education.

Students should sign up in the Guidance Office. Contact Ms. Laura Rooker at lrooker@davisonschools.org for more information.

Some families may be eligible to receive summer meals to go for their students ages 18 and under. No application is needed! Find pick-up locations by visiting: https://www.mcgi.state.mi.us/schoolnutrition/

Also, the Michigan Summer EBT is a program to help families buy food for their school-aged children during the summer. Families will get $120 for each eligible child to buy groceries during the summer. Children who get Michigan Summer EBT can still participate in other summer meal programs.

Some families will get Summer EBT benefits automatically, but some families will need to apply. Families must meet the income and program requirements to be eligible. Applying for or receiving Summer EBT does not affect the immigration status of your children or family.

See the flyer below or check out the SUN Bucks website for more helpful information.