Dear Didion families,

I hope you all are staying warm and are excited for the upcoming Winter Break. Here are some important announcements.

WINTER PROGRAM

This Friday, 12/23, is our annual winter musical program, featuring our amazing Kinder through 3rd grade students. The program starts at 9:00am, with doors opening at 8:45am. Just a reminder that the attire for the boys is white shirts and ties and dark pants. The attire for the girls is holiday attire. We have some white, button down shirts that are available for students to borrow. Please let your child’s teacher know if you would like to borrow a shirt for the program. 

Also, as you all know, we have seen an increase in illnesses on campus and across the district in recent weeks. For this reason, many families may choose to limit whom they invite to the performance to immediate family to reduce the number of people in the gym, and instead share a recording of the performance with extended family. To limit our numbers in the gym for the performance, intermediate or middle school-aged siblings of our primary students need to remain in class and may not attend the performance. Additionally, we highly encourage all attending audience members to wear a mask. We will have masks available for any students or visitors who would like to have one.  Students in the performance also may wear masks if they would like. 

WINTER BREAK

There will be no school because of Winter Break from December 26th through January 6th. We return to school on Monday, January 9th.

MIDDLE SCHOOL MINIMUM DAY, 12/23

7th and 8th graders will be dismissed this Friday, 12/23, at 12:05. All other grade levels will be dismissed at their normal dismissal times. 

2023-2024 KINDERGARTEN NEIGHBORHOOD REGISTRATION AND OPEN ENROLLMENT (K & 7th)

Neighborhood registration for kindergarten for the 2023-2024 school year will be at Didion from Tuesday, January 10, 2023 through Tuesday, January 24, 2023. There will be a limited number of spots available to Open Enrollment applicants for Kindergarten and 7th grade. The window for Open Enrollment applications is February 1st – February 15th. In-coming kinders who are non-neighborhood and applying via Open Enrollment with siblings already attending Didion will need to apply for registration via Open Enrollment, but are given priority as long as they indicate their sibling status on the application.   CLICK HERE  for more information about Open Enrollment.

GATE SCREENING

All 1st and 3rd grade students will be screened for GATE between 1/10 and 2/24. Look for more information to be sent home from your child’s teacher. 

COLD WEATHER

Please dress your child in layers for the cold weather, and label jackets with your child’s name. The lost and found rack is available for parents to check before and after school, outside of the cafeteria, near the oak tree. 

TRAFFIC AND SAFETY

Please remind any family members who may be dropping off or picking up your child that the area in front of school on Harmon Drive is a loading zone, and cars should not be parked or left unattended. Cars may be parked across the street or past the loading zone signs. Morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up are busy times around our school. I appreciate everyone exercising patience, calm, and care when driving during these times. 

BUYING/SELLING/TRADING

Students may not buy, sell, or trade items from home at school (this includes Pokemon cards). Students also may not exchange (i.e. “loan” or “borrow”) money with other students at school. 

CALENDAR REVIEW

• December 23, Friday: Middle School Minimum Day

• December, 23, Friday :  Winter Concert (K-3), Gym, 9am

• December 26 – January 6 :  Winter Break Holiday

• January 9, Monday :  December Dynamic Dragons Acknowledgement during Blacktop Announcements

• January 10 – February 24 :  GATE Screening (Grades 1 & 3)

• January 10 – January 24 :  Neighborhood Kindergarten Enrollment

• January 16, Monday :  MLK Day Holiday (No School)

• January 27, Friday :  Middle School Minimum Day (End of 2nd Quarter)

• February 1 – February 15: Open Enrollment Application Window

• February 10, Friday: Middle School Dance, 3:30-5:30, Gym

• February 13, Monday: Lincoln’s Day Holiday (No School)

• February 20, Monday: Presidents’ Day Holiday (No School)

I hope you all have a restful and very happy winter break!