Regardless of the raindrops, it was a beautiful day on our first day of school! The first day of school was a beautiful day because we were so happy to welcome our students and begin an exciting new year of learning and growing together!
Our first days of school focused on getting to know each other, getting organized and becoming familiar with daily routines.
Our first graders did a great job adjusting to eating lunch at school!
And, it was so fun to enjoy the return of Dance Party Friday during recess!
Even before the first day of school, our fifth grade student leaders were welcoming our students and families who are new to Dryden. They provided tours and answered questions to help everyone feel at ease and familiar with Dryden.
Our teachers enjoyed welcoming students and families to their classrooms during the PTA Meet & Greet Ice Cream Social as well! We thank the PTA for coordinating this special event and providing yummy frozen treats to all who attended!
We are excited to begin reading Wishtree by Katherine Applegate this week for #1Book1Dryden! This is a beautiful story of hope and friendships to share with one another as we kick off the school year together. The hopes and wishes that students, staff, and parents have been adding to our Wish Tree at Dryden have been very informative and inspiring.
We are also excited to celebrate our school's focus on being empowered to learn! We are striving to equip our students with the skills and motivation that will help them become their own best teachers and lifelong learners. We believe that when our students are empowered to learn, they can reach the aspirations and goals they set for themselves throughout their lives.
Below is an awesome example of what can happen when we empower our students to learn. Madeline and Elliott wanted to grow the way we encourage reading and sharing books in our community, so they took the initiative to bring a Little Free Library to Dryden. This required a lot of research, reading, creative problem-solving and collaboration on their part. There were many adults in our school and district who provided guidance, feedback, and support along the way - teachers, custodians, carpenters, business managers and administrators. Madeline and Elliott chose to work on this project throughout the summer. They even assembled and painted the Little Free Library and developed a plan to sustain its use after they moved on to middle school. What a special gift this is for our school community!
