August 2023
AAFN Dates 23-24 (5).pdfAfrican-American Family Network Dates for 23-24 School Year
African-American Family Network meets quarterly for the 23-24 school year. The dates and locations can be found on the flier at left. Quarterly African-American Family Network Meetings are the first and broadest touchpoint for African-American families in PUSD to build community in affinity space, have culturally relevant and specific activities that are social and fun, and opt into other district programs.
PUSD Step Program
Pleasanton Unified students have the opportunity to learn HBCU-style stepping, a dance that uses the body as an instrument and has deep roots in HBCU Fraternity and Sorority history. It combines footsteps, claps, and spoken words to produce complex rhythms, and has roots in African dance and military marching. Stepping is a dance form full of energy, pride, and tradition.
Fliers for the 23-24 Step Program are available in the Donlon office and LINKED HERE
Our first class is Thursday, 8/31.
IMPORTANT DATES:
Dates for the 2023-24 School Year
Tuesday, August 8 - TK/Kinder Meet & Greet (5:00 - 5:30pm)
Tuesday, August 8 - PTA-Sponsored Fall Festival (5:30 - 7:00pm)
Wednesday, August 9 - TK/Kinder Back to School Night (5:00 - 6:00pm)
Thursday, August 10 - First Day of School!
Tuesday, August 15 - Back to School Night (4th/5th grades 6:00 - 7:00pm; 1st/2nd/3rd grades 7:00 - 8:00pm)
Monday, September 4 - Labor Day; NO SCHOOL
STUDENT ITEMS - Anything that comes to school should have the child's name and teacher's name clearly marked ("Sharpie" pens are great for this purpose).
For parents who are dropping off items for students:
If not already marked, please clearly mark item with student's first and last name AND teacher's name.
Items left for students should be placed in the container on the cart in front of the school office BEFORE 11:30am. Musical instruments can be placed under the table inside the office door.
School policy is that classes will not be disrupted for delivery of items students forgot to take to school. Please let your student know that if they forgot something they can come to the office to see if it has been dropped off.
Our office staff works hard to manage all of the tasks necessary to keep Donlon running, and we cannot guarantee that items left for children will be picked up during the school day.
If you are PICKING UP HOMEWORK or other items that a teacher has left in the office for you, feel free to come in and grab the items from the table right inside the office door.
Thank you very much for your cooperation!
Our School Plan for Student Achievement for 2023-2024 school year is attached here. Please take some time to review our goals for this school year! For a quick summary of our SPSA, click here.
If you are interested in discussing Donlon student performance, and providing input into our programs, please consider joining our School Site Council. The council meets monthly to review data, consider options for improvement, and determine our focus for the school year. This important group of people represents and serves all aspects of our school community with 5 parents, 3 teachers, 1 non-teacher staff member, and our Principal.
If you would like to be a member of the council, or would like to nominate someone you know to be a member, please click here to share information now. Elections for open member positions will take place in the first few weeks of school.
VOLUNTEER CLEARANCE for 2023-24 School Year
If you are planning to volunteer next school year, please see the Volunteers page of the PUSD website to review the newly created PUSD Volunteer Handbook. After reading through the handbook, apply to be a volunteer for the 2023-24 school year by using the PUSD Raptor Volunteer Application link. Please note: TB clearance is required for all volunteers.
Volunteer Clearance process - if you think you MIGHT want to volunteer in a classroom, please complete this process - you'll be ready!
Questions? Please email volunteerclearance@pleasantonusd.net
Donlon Yearbook
Our yearbook is a wonderful end-of-year keepsake. Even though it is the very start of our school year, yearbooks can be ordered now! Here's the link to order your yearbook online. (Optional, of course!)
If your family would like a yearbook, but is unable to purchase one, please send an email to Principal Gates.
Important Tip: Children should know the phone number of their parent/guardian, or be able to find it in their backpack or planner. Please show your children how to call your phone number on a land-line (at our site, the number "8" must be pressed first to get a dial tone, then the area code, then the 7-digit number).
Cubs in the Community!
This is a new section in the Donlon Digest - featuring our Cubs and the things that they are doing outside of their school day. Please use this form to submit information (keep it short and sweet) and a photo if you'd like. Then look for your child in our next Digest update!
This summer, lemonade stands popped up around town! Gerald Robinson, 4th grader, sold lemonade and even had visitors from out of town. Another stand was a group effort with Nevaan Bhata (Grade 5), Misha Bhatia (Grade 1), Rishaan Das (Grade 5), Savir Khetan (Grade 1), Sarisha Khetan (Ex-student of Donlon), Ameya Joshi (Incoming TK), and Aarya Joshi (youngest team member) joining their efforts to sell to their neighbors.
NEW: Raphael (Donlon 3rd grader) is a church musician. He started participating in Guild (music) program and has completed his first official music recital. He is eager to express his talents and share his experience with his school and his peer students.
