Student Life at Dows Lane

  • Due to ongoing updates, please refer to the Dows Lane Buzz emails for the most up-to-date information.

    Daily Schedule:  7:50AM-2:15PM, class begins at 8:00AM. You can find more information regarding Arrival and Dismissal here:  Arrival & Dismissal 

    Celebrations

    • Birthdays:  If your child would like to celebrate their birthday in school, please contact your child's teacher for more details. Due to many students with severe food allergies, we respectfully request that you send in a special treat only for your child. We  follow a practice of not sharing food on birthdays in order to keep everyone safe. Please do not send in party favors or candles. And, to avoid disappointment and hurt feelings, we can not distribute invitations to private parties in school.
    • Holiday Celebrations: We encourage staff and students to celebrate all holidays. We read books, watch videos, share music, dance, and do crafts. Due to many students with severe food allergies, teachers will share information in advance about foods being served at whole-class or whole-grade celebrations, so families can plan accordingly.  
    • Halloween / Spirit wear/ green/white celebration:  Children are allowed to wear costumes to school that do not require adult support. No weapons are allowed. Face painting is acceptable as long as your child can be identified. Only Covid face masks are allowed. Other masks may not be worn to school, since we need to be able to identify your child.
    • Bulldog Day:  Bulldog Day is our annual physical education event filled with games and activities. All students participate in field day events and a school-wide dance party. Bulldog Day takes place at the end of the year and is organized by our PE teachers.
    • End of Year Celebrations:  Each grade level culminates with an end of year activity or celebration. Weather permitting, we encourage these events to take place outside.
    • Third Grade Moving Up Day: This third grade event is designed to mark the end to the Dows Lane journey and celebrate the transition to Main Street School. Details are shared by the classroom teachers.
    • Music Concerts:  First grade and third grade classes perform for their families as part of our music program. This is orchestrated by our Music Teacher.

    Daily Snack:
    At Dows Lane we believe that healthy eating directly supports brain development and the ability for children to sustain attention and learn throughout the day. A daily healthy snack is a vital part of each day at our school. We strongly suggest that families do not send any nut or tree nut foods to school, due to our many allergies in the building. We are Allergy Aware Because We Care.

    Toys:
    Students should not bring toys to school. This includes any type of electronic toy, collectibles, etc. We recognize that some children may need an item on the bus for personal or soothing reasons. This is allowed, however the item must be kept in a backpack during the school day, so it doesn't distract from learning. If a class is holding a special event or celebration, the teacher will communicate what items are allowed (example: 2nd grade store). 

    Personal Electronic Device Use:
    We value the use of technology to enrich learning and are continuing to strive to identify more opportunities for its integration. We want to support our children in making good decisions and managing impulsivity with personal devices. This is an opportunity to coach our children about acceptable use of electronic devices and respecting the privacy of others. The use of devices such as interactive watches to take pictures or record peers with or without consent can be an invasion of the privacy of others and can prove to be a distraction in our learning environment. If your child needs to have a personal device with them, it should stay in their backpack and not distract from learning. 

    If a student is found using a device to take pictures or record a video, they will lose the privilege of wearing or bringing the device to school. The device will be taken, and kept in the Main Office, until an adult can collect it.   

    Dress Code:  
    Every day, students are encouraged to dress appropriately, free of distraction for learning and play. Sneakers are suggested daily.

    • Outdoor Recess: During cold-temperature months, outdoor recess is a daily decision. We believe that students should go outside for fresh air, even when it's cold. On cold weather days, please dress your child appropriately for outdoor play. Please provide your child with layers - hat, scarf, gloves and an appropriate jacket.   
    • Physical Education Dress Code: In order to ensure the safety of our students, sneakers must be worn on days when your child has Physical Education. Please do not send your child in with slip-on shoes or sandals. Your child will be unable to participate in Physical Education unless sneakers are worn. Children should also be comfortably dressed for physical activities such as jumping and climbing. We suggest wearing tights or shorts under dresses or skirts.  

    Lost and Found:  
    All lost and found items can be found in the main lobby and moved outside the front entrance a few times during the year. Communication will be sent when lost and found items are being moved outside for families to stop by to check for their items.  

    Afterschool Programs:
    During the school year, Dows Lane partners with after-school programs to bring additional learning opportunities to our students. Communication will be sent directly from after-school organizations.

    School Supplies:
    School supplies lists are sent home with summer mailing and can be found on our website. The PTSA also offers a service and fundraiser to order supplies from:1st Day School Supplies Kits. Details are communicated by classroom teachers and in the Dows Lane Buzz.

    Character Education, diversity, equity, inclusion, SEL (Social Emotional Learning), Habits of Mind, and Mindfulness:
    Character education is infused into our core values of instruction in all areas to help children grow and learn. We believe that values such as respect, responsibility, self-control, ownership, and honesty are necessary to become valuable members of the Dows Lane community and greater society. By focusing on prosocial character traits, we hope to help shape each child’s attitude regarding character and give them the courage to act responsibly. We recognize this can only be done by engaging all members of the school staff and families in this endeavor.

    Our goal is to provide an inclusive and caring environment where students take ownership of their role in our community by utilizing these values and becoming active participants in ways to make the school a place where character is recognized and valued.

    Monthly Themes:

    September:  Community
    October:  Thinking Interdependently
    November:  Persistence
    December:  Managing Impulsivity
    January:  Fairness
    February:   Thinking Flexibly
    March:  Striving for Accuracy, Growth Mindset
    April:  Actions
    May:  Ownership
    June:  Self-Awareness

    Across the school year, children also learn about diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. All staff also help students practice mindfulness, focusing one’s awareness on the present moment while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts and actions. We believe that by teaching mindfulness, students have a deeper understanding of their own sense-of-self in a larger community.