Dear DuVall Families,
Happy National Volunteer Week to all of our volunteers! We are so lucky to have so many parents that volunteer with our PTA, at events, popping popcorn, in classrooms, as Watch DOGS, make donations, etc. Thank you for all that you do!! Each one of you makes DuVall a better place.
Welcome Jen Schulte! She is our new office secretary and begins on Monday, April 17th. We are excited to have Mrs. Schulte be part of our staff. Mrs. Ambra Taha, our school cafeteria manager has accepted a custodial position at River Oaks. This will provide Mrs. Taha with more hours of work per day and give her summer work as well. This position has been posted internally and we hope to have it filled before or soon after Mrs. Taha leaves on May 9.
Many thanks to Reema Hammoud and Lory Fakih for planning the Iftar Dinner. Thank you to all of the parents and staff that donated, helped out, and attended this event. We had a wonderful time and it was a great turnout. We had many other parents and staff that contributed and helped during the event. We are looking forward to next year.
Thank you to Mrs. Burr for handling our Change Challenge. Our children are practicing the Penguin Practice of generosity and helping families in need. Thank you to Mr. Tapp and all of the students and parents that participated and helped at Saturday’s Martian Marathon. We are so proud of all of our students for running and doing their best.
Thank you to the parents that came to our M-Step information meeting. If you were unable to attend you can view the PowerPoint here: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1VMLZb8FRRIl-5L_rCip_sZwf8xbPJeJaSC-aW0Co9e0/edit?usp=sharing I am available to answer any questions you may have. I recommend parents view the practice tests soo you can see what is expected of your child. Follow this link https://wbte.drcedirect.com/MI/portals/mi/ott1?displayOTT=M-STEP+-+OTTS&display=M-STEP&adminId=523377&index=1&audioConfiguration=%7B%22onDemandTTS%22%3A%7B%22playTestDirectionsView%22%3Atrue%7D%7D You will be asked to select a grade and subject. The username and password are listed right above where you need to type it in.
GSRP: We are excited that we will offer GSRP again next year. The handing out of registration packets will now take place at DuVall! On April 28th, 9:00-11:00. DuVall was not originally on the list to hand out packets but we have been added. Mrs. Manwell will be handing the packets out in the office and scheduling appointments for registration. If you have a child turning four next year come and speak to her. GSRP is a free program that runs Monday thru Thursday, 8:30-3:30 at DuVall. There is a limit of 16 students her class. Our Developmental Preschool, with Mrs. Bazzi and Mrs. Lackey has just a few 4 year old openings for next year. This program meets three half days a week and is tuition based. Learn more at our Developmental Preschool Registration page or call Early Childhood at 313-827-8350.
Our Ice Cream Social is June 2nd and will be here before we know it. Please, if you own a business consider making a donation. If you have any connections to other businesses, please reach out to them on our behalf asking for a donation. We can provide a donation letter for tax purposes. If you can help out classrooms with their baskets, the themes are listed below. All help is appreciated.
| Teacher | Basket Theme |
| Hughes | Wellness Basket (Teas,essential oils,crystals etc) |
| Ross | “For the love of Dogs” Basket |
| Grahl | Sweet treats basket |
| Press | Detroit Sports Teams |
| Shapas Brettschneider | Movie basket |
| Morrison | Summer Beach party |
| Moon | Road trip basket |
| Alabakoff | Game Night |
| Courtright | Lottery |
| Ranka/Talluto | Outside fun |
This week’s notes:
- No school April 20-21
- There is no Math Club this week.
- Fourth & Fifth grades will complete M-Step ELA this week. See the schedule below for the specific days. Fourth graders, this assessment is used for the STEM admission for middle school.
- If you have not ordered a yearbook and would like to, please go to this site: https://ybpay.lifetouch.com/order/lookupjob?jobNumber=14536123
- Students should not be arriving before 8:35. They do not have supervision. Everyday we are getting more and more students arriving early. We have a paid program, Kids Club, if you need to drop your child off before 8:35. There are pamphlets in the office with more information.
- Good news! We won $500. from the Education Foundation Mardi Gras for the elementary school with the most doubloons.
- All of our Lost & Found items are on a table near doors 5 & 8. Please take a look and see if anything belongs to your child. Whatever is left at the end of the month will be donated.
- Another reminder to put a change of clothes in your child’s backpack. We are calling parents in all grades to bring a change of clothes due to kids going down wet slides, slipping in mud, etc.
- Congratulations to the seven teachers nominated for Teacher of the Year. Mrs. Chromicz, Ms. Courtright, Mrs. Grahl, Mrs. Moon, Mrs. Morrison, Mrs. Ross, and Mr. Tapp were all nominated. This was an assignment I gave all students. Unfortunately, many of them did not complete it. The result is many deserving teachers are not nominated. I hope that every DuVall teacher is nominated next year! They work hard and deserve it.
- We have added a few events so please review the calendar below. One event is School Clean-up on Saturday, April 29th, 9:00-11:00. We will be raking leaves and getting our school ready for spring. Try to join us for this event. Also added are the dates for the Cipriano Run, Mother/Son Kickball Game and the spring concerts so please review all dates and mark your calendars.
- STEAM Night is May 18. Mrs. Poisson is collecting toilet paper rolls for an activity. Please save them for her.
Eid Mubarek!
Happy Orthodox Easter!
Have a great week!
Mary Timpf
| Day | Activities | 1st Choice | 2nd Choice | Watch DOGS |
| Monday | Penguin Day, wear DuVall spiritwear ELA M-Step (Mrs. Courtright) 12:05 Fire Drill 5th grade instrumental classes | Beef Quesadilla | Nachos & Cheese | |
| Tuesday | Twinkling Tuesday 4th & 5th ELA M-Step | Fish Patty | Sunbutter & Jelly | |
| Wednesday | Pajama Day 8:15 Vivace Singers, room 111 (Last Day) 9:10 Parent Book Club, Media Center ELA M-Step (Mrs. Alabakoff, Mrs. Ranka/Mrs. Talluto) 4:00 5th Grade DuVall Depot, room 204 6:00 Parent Book Club, Zoom | Hotdog | Veggie Ranch Wrap | |
| Thursday | No School | No School | ||
| Friday | No School, Eid Mubarek | No School |
Upcoming Dates:
April 25: Dads & Donuts
April 26, Late Start, start time 10:00
April 27, Kindergarten Round-Up
April 28, Assembly – Illustrated of Frizzy, Rose Bousamra
April 28, Talent Show
April 29, School Clean-up (9:00-11:00)
May 1, Cipriano Run
May 2, The Ned Show Assembly
May 3, Spring Concert, K-2 and Morrison’s Class
May 4, 3-5, instrumental, Vivace Singers
May 10, PTA Meeting 6:30, Media Center and Zoom
May 12, 4:30, Mother Son Kickball Game
May 16, District Honor Choir Concert, 7:00 at Stout
May 17, Late Start, start time 10:00
May 18, STEAM Night
May 23-24, Veterans Baskets
May 26, No school – Conference release day
May 29, No School – Memorial Day
June 2, Ice Cream Social
June 3, Native Plant Sale
June 13, Park & Pool
June 15, 5th Grade Promotion
June 15, Last Day