March 2024
IMPORTANT DATES:
Friday, March 1: MINIMUM DAY - ALL students start at 8:15am; TK/K end at 12:05pm and 1st - 5th end at 12:15pm
Tuesday, March 5: Bike Mobile - have your bikes tuned up for Spring, 11:30am - 1:30pm
Friday, March 8: Flag Salute (theme is Career Day)
Thursday, March 14: Pi Day (celebrate by eating a piece of pie!)
Thursday, March 14: PUSD School Board Meeting, 6:00pm
Tuesday, March 26 and 27: International Fair (MPR) - all families welcome to come celebrate!
Tuesday, March 26: General PTA Meeting (Library) - 7:00 - 8:30pm
Thursday, March 28: PUSD School Board Meeting, 6:00pm
Friday, March 29 - Monday, April 8: NO SCHOOL - Spring Break
2023-24 BELL SCHEDULE 24 HOUR ATTENDANCE LINE 925-426-0403
Cubs in the Community!
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! Click on the arrow box on the document below to see this page more clearly.
Thank you to our Black History Month presenters!
This year, we asked members of our Donlon, Pleasanton Unified, and Alameda County communities who identify as Black or African American to share THEIR history. We were so honored to have the following people share their stories with our students:
Parents: Giles Chapman (Harlem's dad), Tommy Brooking (Todd and Rose's dad), Feyia Woods-Simpson (Aliyah's mom), and Charles Anderson (Tristan's dad)
Pleasanton Unified: Dr. William Nelson, Dr. Amos Nugent, and Dr. LaToshia Palmer
Alameda County: Supervisor Nate Miley and Fire Chief William McDonald (family of Adrian and Alex)
Thank you again for your time, your honesty, and your energy - your stories inspired everyone!
Attendance Matters!
WE HAVE 11 VACATION DAYS COMING UP IN APRIL FOR SPRING BREAK - FRIDAY, MARCH 29th THROUGH MONDAY, APRIL 8th (WHICH SPANS 7 SCHOOL DAYS AND 2 WEEKENDS). WE ALSO HAVE SUMMER VACATION WHICH STARTS ON SATURDAY, JUNE 1st AND LASTS FOR 9 FULL WEEKS. PLEASE KEEP THIS IN MIND WHEN PLANNING VACATION TRAVEL. STUDENTS SHOULD BE IN ATTENDANCE FOR EVERY SCHOOL DAY FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR UNLESS THEY ARE ILL. THEY SHOULD NOT MISS IMPORTANT LEARNING DAYS FOR VACATIONS. BE REMINDED THAT STATE TESTING WILL BE ADMINISTERED TO STUDENTS ON VARIOUS DATES DURING APRIL AND MAY.
For safety reasons, Students should not be dropped off before the gates open at 8:00am (9:00am on Wednesday) as we have no adult supervision until then. Children arriving after their start time will be marked tardy. After school, students must be picked up within 15 minutes of dismissal (see the bell schedule for your child's dismissal times).
These norms of behavior are how we adults interact at Donlon . If you have any questions about our norms, please reach out to Janet Gates or Danielle Tremain, your Donlon administrators.
Donlon's Meeting Norms:
Stay student focused.
Assume positive intentions.
Be open to ideas.
Communicate clearly and succinctly.
Ask and welcome questions for clarification.
Allow others to complete thoughts before responding.
Listen carefully for understanding, and respect other’s views.
Honor time limits.
Information Regarding Independent Study Contracts
The purpose of an Independent Study Contract is intended to be requested by a parent/guardian due to an emergency or illness. Independent Study Contracts may be used on a short term basis to ensure that the student is able to maintain academic progress in the student's regular classes. The contract assists in preventing your child from falling behind and gives your child attendance credit.
Per California Education Code, Independent Study Contracts are only issued to students who will be absent for a minimum of 3 school days. The maximum number of school days the contract will be approved for cannot exceed 15 school days. After 15 school days, PUSD cannot guarantee your child will return to the same classroom or the same school.
Independent Study Contracts may not be issued during the last 20 school days of the school year. Existing policies related to assignments and grading will be upheld for excused and unexcused absences if taken during the final 20 days of the school year. If your child is absent the last twenty days, we cannot guarantee your child will return to the same school the following school year.
TK/Kindergarten Registration for the 2024-25 School Year
PUSD hosted one In-Person Parent Informational Meeting on January 24, 2024. The slide deck from that meeting is available for viewing on the TK/K Parent Meeting page on the PUSD Website.
New Student Enrollment for the 2024-25 school year opened on February 5, 2024. The link to begin the online enrollment process is available on the PUSD website. PLEASE READ THROUGH THIS IMPORTANT PAGE REGARDING ENROLLMENT!
Transitional Kindergarten (TK): The child must turn 5 years old between Sept. 2, 2024 and June 2, 2025
Kindergarten enrollment: The child must turn 5 years old on or before Sept. 1, 2024
REMINDER - VOLUNTEER CLEARANCE
If you want to volunteer on campus or on field trips this school year, please see the Volunteers page of the PUSD website to review the 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
Happy Lunar New Year!
Our students celebrated in their classrooms with books, art, and stories about the Lunar New Year - what fun to recognize the start of the Year of the Dragon!
PPIE Fun Run
A message from Principal Gates:
The PPIE fun run is an incredible time to spend with our community - it's one of the best things we do in Pleasanton. Enjoy time with other families, have a nice walk or run, cheer your children on as they race in their own event, enjoy free snacks, beverages, and fun gifts from community sponsors.
For the past 7 years, Walnut Grove Elementary has won the prize for the biggest percentage of families registered for this event. I learned their secret recently, and I am not too proud to suggest it to our Donlon families to see if we can finally get our Donlon Cubs on the winners stand! Here's the secret: Register for the run, even if you aren't able to participate!! You can select "no t-shirt" to save $5 on the registration fee - encourage out of town family and friends to register and select Donlon as their "team" (it's a drop-down menu). We know our school is the best - let's get on that winner's stage!
Register By 11:59pm on Monday, March 4th for Lowest Entry Fees
Entry fees for this event increase as we near event day. The first price increase will go into effect on March 5, so we encourage you and your family to register for this year's race soon!
2024 Event:
Sunday, April 28
Start/Finish at Alameda County Fairgrounds
Timed 5K & 10K
2 Mile fun run or walk (all ages)
Kids Challenge (1/4 Mile, ages 3-10)
Finisher medals
T-shirt included with entry
Proceeds directly benefit Pleasanton public schools!
FROM THE HEALTH OFFICE
KINDERGARTEN PARENTS/GUARDIANS:
Completed Oral Health Exam forms are due by May 31, 2024. Please drop off at the Donlon office or email to: jtompkins@pleasantonusd.net. Thank you!
Thank you for your care and caution while driving!
Reminders about our Donlon traffic:
Honor the queue! Do not cut in front of others in our front loop. If you need to drop off your child in the front loop, you must wait in line. You may NOT drop off your child from the left lane - only drop off in the curb lane, and have your child exit from the curb side of the car.
Keep our traffic flowing! Our front lot has TWO exit lanes for after you have dropped off or picked up your child. You can see two arrows painted on the ground as a reminder. Please fill both lanes (they both turn right at the end of the loop - drivers must take turns exiting).
Please don't block traffic by waiting for students on Dorman Road in front of our school. The southbound far right lane is for vehicles turning right into the Donlon parking lot. If you'd like to pick up your child elsewhere, the back of the school is an excellent spot, or you could have them walk to a different close location to meet you.
Cross safely! Do NOT run across the road or encourage your children to run across the road. All must use the crosswalks. A few extra steps to go to the crosswalk can be the difference between safety and tragedy. Also, please remind children that they must get off of their bikes and walk across the street. Riding a bike across the street is risky, because it doesn't allow time for car drivers to see the bike rider in time to stop.
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.
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.
School Site 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. All are welcome to attend, and there is time allotted for comments from the community at the beginning of our meetings. Please see the Donlon Website for School Site Council meeting dates, agendas, and minutes. Click here to go directly to the Donlon Site Council page.