August 2025

Dear DuVall Families,

I hope you are enjoying a relaxing and fun-filled summer! I’m excited to welcome you to a brand-new school year at DuVall Elementary. Many thanks go out to all those who worked hard this summer to prepare our building, especially our engineer Dave Brice and custodians Carol Kelley and Beverly Kraft. Their dedication ensures that our school is clean, safe, and ready for learning.

As we begin this new year, I look forward to partnering with you to make it a memorable, exciting, and stimulating experience for our students. Below you’ll find important information to help you prepare. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to stop by or email me at timpfm@dearbornschools.org.

Staff Updates

  • We are sad to share that Annette McMahon, our former Instructional Coach (IC), has been reassigned. We warmly welcome Darlene Hamel as our new IC.
  • Albana Duhanxiu, our Special Education Resource Teacher (SpEdRT), has also been reassigned. We welcome Shurouk Al-Timimi to the role.
  • Congratulations to Jennie Morey on her retirement! The past two years she co-taught with Mrs. Carey Ranka. Mrs. Ranka will return to a full-time teaching position this year.

Celebrations

  • Congratulations to art teacher Abigail Freed and her husband, Mason, who are expecting their first child in October. Mrs. Freed will be taking a short maternity leave this fall.

Important Dates

  • Friday, August 22 – Open House, 12:00–1:30 PM
     Class lists will be posted. Our amazing PTA will be in the cafeteria selling spirit wear, hot dogs & ice cream!
  • Monday, August 25 – First Day of School
    • First bell: 8:55 AM | Classes begin: 9:00 AM | Dismissal: 12:05 PM
    • Breakfast served at 8:35 AM | No lunch will be served.
    • Busing for eligible students
  • Tuesday, August 26 – Thursday, August 28
    • Grades 1–5: Full day of school (8:55–3:55)
    • Breakfast and lunch served
    • Busing for eligible students
    • Kindergarten Soft Start: 8:55 AM–12:05 PM | Lunch served | No busing home for kindergarten
  • Friday, August 29 & Monday, September 1 – No School (Labor Day Recess)
  • Tuesday, September 2 – First Early Release (2:25 PM Dismissal)
      ****Early Release will occur every Tuesday moving forward.****

Class Rosters & Open House 

Open House is Friday, August 22, 12:00-1:30. Class lists will be posted on the glass windows by the gym (playground side of the building) starting at 12:00 PM on August 22. Please enter through Doors 5 or 8.
 Our teachers and I carefully considered student strengths, needs, relationships, and classroom balance when creating these rosters. Due to the complexity of the placement process, we do not anticipate making any class changes.

During Open House, our school and PTA will be selling hot dogs, popsicles, ice cream, and DuVall spirit wear. Students can visit the free face painting and tattoo table. We will also have visitors from HYPE, Dearborn Public Libraries, Dearborn Federal Savings Bank, Dearborn Schools Human Resources (employment opportunities), Dearborn Community Ed, ACCESS, Dearborn Public Health, DuVall PTA Memberships, and Wayne Metro. These guests will be sharing resources and information about their wonderful groups.

School Supplies

Dearborn Public Schools provides all essential school supplies. However, for families who wish to purchase additional materials, optional supply lists (organized by grade level) are available on the DuVall blog or directly at: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B7bBtqGnMccyUGNGQ0liajBuVWM?resourcekey=0-gAvpgbs1E8UR9Dw8kecA-g&usp=sharingIf parents would like to donate any classroom supplies it is helpful if you bring them at Open House. This gives the teacher a chance to put things away  before the first day. It also allows the teachers to put all of her attention on her students the first day of school. All donations are appreciated.

Morning Line-Up

Students should not be at school before 8:50am unless they are attending breakfast and enter through Door 10 by the cafeteria.  

Students should line up on the playground side of school on their teacher’s designated number. Staff will escort students inside. Parents are asked to remain outside. In case of rain, parents can drop students off at the door and students will line up inside.

  • Mrs. Hughes (#105): Purple Rectangle
  • Mrs. Ross (#106): Green Triangle
  • Mrs. Press (#102): Red Circle
  • Mrs. Hernandez (#103): Yellow Star
  • Ms. Brown (#108): White Diamond
  • Mrs. Morrison (#110): Red Circle
  • Mrs. Moon (#204): White Diamond
  • Ms. Courtright (#202): Green Triangle
  • Mrs. Ranka (#201): Yellow Star
  • Mrs. Alabakoff (#203): Purple Rectangle

Kids Club

This before- and after-school program offers a safe space for students with activities like games, crafts, and homework time. It is not tutoring. Fees apply, but financial assistance is available. To register or learn more: https://dearbornschools.ce.eleyo.com/child-care/3/school-age-care

Developmental Preschool

DuVall offers preschool for 3 year olds, 4 year olds, and Mommy and Me classes. For more information visit the website at: https://dearbornschools.ce.eleyo.com/child-care/3/school-age-care or call 313-827-8350.  There is currently a waitlist for these programs.

GSRP Preschool

DuVall houses a GSRP class which is coordinated through our GSRP Program at Cotter. This class meets Monday thru Thursday, 8:35-3:20. For more information call Cotter at 313-827-6150 or go to: https://cotter.dearbornschools.org/great-start-readiness-program-recruitment-and-enrollment/

Parent Connect Update

  • Visit https://dearbornschools.org
  • Click on Parent Portal, click on Parent Connect
    • Can’t remember your pin and password? Underneath login in the left-hand corner, there is a link that says  “Need Your Login Information?” This link will email your pin and password. (It may take several hours to receive the email)
  • To update student forms, you must use a computer NOT a tablet or cell phone. 

First Day Handouts

Your child will receive several handouts on the first day, including the district calendar, important dates, and required forms. Please return all completed forms by the end of the first week.

One of the most important is the “CEP Home Income Report” form, which helps determine DuVall’s funding. Since we are a Schoolwide Title I school, this funding supports all students. Completing this form helps us maintain that support—thank you in advance!

Visitor Procedures

To ensure student safety:

  • All parents and visitors must enter through Door 1, sign in at the main office, and wear a visitor pass.
  • Do not enter through Door 8, even at morning drop-off.
    • Never ask a child to open a door—students are not permitted to open doors for anyone, including parents.
    • For evening events, Doors 5 and 8 will be unlocked after 6:00 PM. Parents must accompany their children to all after-school events.

Breakfast & Lunch

Monthly menus will be sent home with students. 

Breakfast is available for all students beginning at 8:35 AM. Students may not enter the building before 8:35 unless they are attending a supervised extracurricular activity. Students eating breakfast must enter through Door 10 and go directly to the cafeteria. They may not walk the halls, even to hang up their backpack. Breakfast is not served after 8:55 AM, except for students who arrive late due to a delayed school bus.

Lunch is free for all students on full school days and includes a protein, vegetable, fruit, and milk. If your child brings lunch from home, we ask that you send healthy food with only one treat item. Please do not send glass containers, soda, Doordash, or fast food.

If you have any questions regarding food services, please contact our food manager, Mrs. Joyce Dunlap, at dunlapj@dearbornschools.org.

Lunch Times:

  • 11:45–12:25 – Kindergarten, First and Second Grades
  • 12:35–1:15 – Third, Fourth, and Fifth Grades

Communication

Please keep your child’s teacher and the main office updated with any changes to phone numbers or email addresses for parents and emergency contacts. If there is a change in transportation or who is picking up your child, please notify the office in advance. Anyone picking up a child must be listed on the emergency card and present a valid ID.

weekly email is sent to families with reminders and updates for the coming week. This is also posted to the DuVall blog and shared via text. If you are not receiving these emails or texts, please contact Mrs. Jen in the office.

Our district will be implementing a new form of communication, called Parent Square. This platform has many options. We will be sharing more information soon.

Stay connected by following us on:

  • Facebook: DuVall Elementary School PTA
  • Instagram: @duvall_elementary

School Hours

School hours are 9:00 AM–3:55 PM. Students and staff gather on the playground at 8:55 AM for the Pledge of Allegiance and the DuVall Pledge.

Students arriving after 9:00 AM must enter through Door 1 and be signed in by an adult. If a student is not signed in and attendance has already been taken, they will be marked absent. The sign-in book in the office is used to adjust attendance records from absent to tardy, so it is essential that all late arrivals are properly signed in.

If your child will be absent, please report the absence through Parent Connect or by calling the attendance line at 313-827-2751. Messages can be left at any time. While you may also contact your child’s teacher or another staff member, please note that only contacting the office will prevent an automated absence call from being sent.

We are committed to teaching our students responsibility. Please encourage your child to speak directly with their teacher about any make-up work upon their return. Parents are welcome to follow up, but our goal is to build student ownership—especially as they grow older.

If your child will be absent for three or more consecutive days, please make arrangements with the teacher to pick up work from the office.

Whenever possible, please schedule vacations during school breaks. While completing missed assignments is helpful, it does not replace the valuable instruction and classroom interaction students receive when present. If your child has a medical reason for extended absences, please submit a doctor’s note. Otherwise, please reach out to me directly.

Being on time is just as important. Students who arrive late often miss directions and feel rushed or anxious. It is helpful for everyone when students arrive on time.

Illness

If your child is not feeling well—has a fever (100.4°F or higher)vomiting, or symptoms of illness—please keep them home.

  • Parents will be contacted if a child becomes ill during the school day.
  • Ensure that emergency contact information is always up to date.
    • For questions or to inform us of any medical concerns, please contact our school nurse, Amy Kandes, at kandesa@dearbornschools.org.

Dress Code

Students must wear school-appropriate clothing that does not distract from learning. Please:

  • Dress your child according to the weather
  • Consider sending a light jacket or sweater for inside use in colder months
  • Ensure footwear has a back strap for safety (no flip-flops)
  • Avoid tight-fitting clothes, pajamas, crop tops, short shorts, or clothing with inappropriate language. 

We appreciate your support in reviewing your child’s outfit each morning to ensure it’s suitable for school.

Cell Phones & Smartwatches

We understand that some families choose to send phones with their children for safety reasons. If your child brings a cell phone, it must be:

  • Turned off
  • Stored in their backpack at all times during school hours

If a phone is visible or used during school hours, it will be confiscated and returned only to a parent.

Smartwatches (including Apple Watches) should not be worn during the school day. These devices have become a distraction, especially when parents call or text during class. If worn, the watch must be stored in the backpack.

Smartwatches/phones are not permitted during standardized testing per state policy. If a student uses one for medical purposes, it will be placed on the teacher’s desk during testing.

DuVall is not responsible for any lost or damaged devices. We strongly encourage students to leave phones and smartwatches at home.

Student Behavior Expectations

Students are expected to follow all classroom and school rules and procedures, Teachers will communicate details of their behavior plan. As a school, we will be implementing Track Tickets. Walking the track a specific amount of times will be a consequence for students who are not following rules. For students who meet their monthly goal there will be an end of the monthly reward, For those not achieving their goal, there will be a Behavior Academy they will attend to teach them proper strategies when they have a challenge. 

Birthdays

  • Students may celebrate their birthday with their classmates. An easy to pass out treat and a small water bottle are allowed to share with classmates. Parents must send in enough for each child in the class. Balloons, treat bags, and full size cakes are not allowed.
  • If you are passing out party invitations to students and not inviting the entire class, please be discreet. It is best to hand the invitations out at the end of the day on the playground and when possible give them directly to the parent.

Volunteers

We love our volunteers! If you’re interested in volunteering, please contact your child’s teacher a few days in advance to coordinate a convenient time.

All volunteers—including classroom helpers, PTA event assistants, and field trip chaperones—must have a completed district-required i-Chat background check on file, along with a copy of your driver’s license, at least two weeks in advance.  i-Chats are valid for three years

To check your current i-Chat status, contact Mrs. Hillary or Mrs. Jen at 313-827-2750.

We’re also looking for parent volunteers to help lead extra-curricular clubs such as Doodle Club (to partner with Mrs. Gonzalez), and Robotics (to partner with Mr. Burkman). Many thanks to Mrs. Clark and Mrs. Moore for taking on the Butterfly & Garden Club. We also need a parent to run our School Store. This is a two hour commitment (11:30-1:30), approximately twice a month.  If you’re interested in helping or have an idea for a club, please let me know. More information will be shared in our weekly emails a few weeks into the school year.

Important Notes

  • Students are encouraged to bring a water bottle to school each day. They can be refilled at our five hydration stations in the hallways, cafeteria or gym.
  • Please write your child’s name on the outside of their lunchbox and water bottle and inside all of their belongings, including backpacks, jackets, sweatshirts, etc. The amount of items in our Lost & Found is extremely high.
  • Please keep in mind, this is a good time to begin transitions for your children.  Bedtimes and wake up times should be modified to assist students in adjusting to their school schedules and help them get back into the routine of school.  Most importantly, continue reading with your child each day to help prepare them for being back.  
  • When picking up your child early please let the office and the teacher know first thing in the morning or the day before. It takes away from class time when a teacher has to stop instructing to prepare one student to leave early. Knowing ahead of time will help the teacher and student be prepared and be ready to leave when the parent arrives.
  • Students should have a change of clothes in their backpack, especially grades K-2.

The DuVall staff and I would like to thank you in advance for being our partner.  We realize there is a great deal of information in this letter but it is helpful for all of us to be on the same page so we can work together for the good of our children. 

On the first day of school, weather permitting, we will have an area on the playground available to take photos. Come early so you have time to take  pictures in front of our DuVall backdrop and with our photo props.

New this year, Bike Club

Mrs. Bonathan and Mrs. Daybell will be starting a Friday morning bike bus. A bike bus follows the same route each week and students join on their bikes as the bus passes them. More information and the actual route will be shared soon.

Calendars 

District Calendar

DuVall PTA Calendar (tentative)

We are  looking forward to a successful 2025-2026 school year! Please feel free to contact me with any questions and concerns.

Thank you,

Mary Timpf

DuVall Elementary Principal

timpfm@dearbornschools.org 

313-827-2750