2024 Dalton Teacher of the Year, Zach Clifton, has been making great use of the Ford Bronco awarded to him by Ford of Dalton during our Annual Employee Convocation in August. He recently enjoyed a trip to watch a University of Georgia game and took the Bronco to see the dazzling Christmas lights at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. We extend our gratitude to Ford of Dalton for their continued support of our educators and their dedication to celebrating excellence in teaching!
Last week, Dalton Public Schools had the privilege of presenting to Leadership Dalton-Whitfield during their Education Session. The day was both engaging and insightful, starting with a joint presentation by Dr. Steven Craft, superintendent of Dalton Public Schools GA, and Dr. Ewton, superintendent of Whitfield County Schools. They highlighted key initiatives shaping the future of education in our community.
Participants then participated in a work-based learning panel discussion featuring educators from both school systems, followed by a guided tour of Southeast Whitfield High School.
The day wrapped up with interactive tabletop discussions, bringing together students from our local high schools. It was a meaningful experience filled with learning, connection, and a heartfelt celebration of the commitment our schools have to empowering the next generation!
The Raiders recently showcased their new obstacle course, a key training tool for DPS JROTC cadets to build physical fitness, teamwork, and leadership skills. The course will provide cadets with challenging opportunities to grow and prepare for future competitions. A special thanks goes to the Dalton Public Schools maintenance staff for their hard work and dedication in constructing this valuable resource.
Superintendent Steven Craft recently had the pleasure of enjoying breakfast with a group of exceptional teachers and staff from across the district. These individuals, nominated by their principals, were invited to relax, chat, and be recognized for their outstanding hard work and dedication.
It was a special opportunity to celebrate their contributions and foster connections among those who play a vital role in the success of Dalton Public Schools!
Dalton Public Schools' Winter Break is just around the corner! School will dismiss early on Friday, December 20, marking the start of the break. We hope everyone enjoys a restful and joyful holiday season.
Classes will resume on Monday, January 6, 2025, and we look forward to welcoming our students back for an exciting new year!
Classroom Spotlight: Yesterday, Ms. Luckey’s music class at Roan School learned about classical music, winter traditions, and ice skating. Students used homemade ice skates to practice gliding to classical melodies, combining creativity with an appreciation for music.
Twelve students from Hammond Creek Middle School recently represented our district at the District VII Honor Choir in Cartersville. Jack Redding opened one of the choir’s pieces with a spoken word performance, and Thomas McInnish performed a solo in another.
Five students also auditioned for the Georgia All-State Chorus, and Jack Redding was selected for the 7th/8th Grade All-State Mixed Choir. He will move on to the second round of auditions in January, competing alongside nearly 6,000 students statewide. We are so proud of Jack and all our students for their hard work and achievements!
Ms. Trowell's class at Westwood School embraced the holiday spirit while learning math today! Students worked on partitioning shapes into halves and fourths by using festive holiday ornaments, combining creativity with critical thinking for a hands-on learning experience.
Hammond Creek students celebrated the annual Tiger Tournament in style before the break! They enjoyed exciting field games, showed off their moves at a dance party, and had a blast at the carnival!
Two kindergarten classes—one from City Park and one from Blue Ridge—are embarking on a udder-ly exciting journey! Through Discovery Dairy, they’ve each adopted a dairy cow and will incorporate their calf into science and social studies lessons, learning all about farming and where our milk comes from.
🍂Happy Thanksgiving from Dalton Public Schools! We are thankful for our entire community for your continuous support of our students and staff.
Zachary Hall, an Innovation Manager at Tarkett, recently visited Brookwood Elementary's engineering class to discuss creativity, innovation, and problem-solving. He challenged students to think outside the box and find ways to improve our world!
Thank you to Direct Primary Care Associates for their generous donation of 6 boxes filled with Thanksgiving meals for our DPS families! 🦃📦 With the help of our amazing team of social workers, these meals were distributed to six families in our community. We are so grateful for local businesses like DPCA who make a difference in the lives of our students and families.
Dalton Public Schools is proud of our students who recently showcased their skills and determination in the bowling portion of the Special Olympics! Your hard work and sportsmanship inspire us all!
Dalton Junior High School celebrated Epilepsy Awareness Month with a student-led initiative organized by math teacher Macavan Kalafut and 8th grader Sophie McKeehan, who was instrumental in advocating for the cause.
On November 21, students and staff wore purple, the color of epilepsy awareness, and participated in a hot chocolate sale during FLT, with each hallway selling cups for $1. The event brought the school community together and raised funds, which were donated to the Epilepsy Foundation to support its mission of advocacy and education.
Read more on our website!
STUDENT INNOVATION TAKES CENTER STAGE: Last week, Dalton Public Schools students showcased their creativity and entrepreneurial spirit at the 2024 Student Pitch Competition hosted at Hammond Creek Middle School! This exciting event, sponsored by 3DE by Junior Achievement, The Minor Firm Attorneys at Law, and Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union, gave students the chance to present their business ideas, prototypes, and pitches to a panel of expert judges.
Students competed for funding to invest in their ideas, with goals such as refining concepts, testing prototypes, conducting market research, and turning their ideas into real products or services.
Congratulations to our winners:
🥉 3rd Place: Sam Presseley, 8th grader, creator of DampTech, an innovative solution for a more comfortable experience when working with power tools.
🥈 2nd Place: Samantha Gonzalez, Junior, with her proposal for a 24-hour daycare center tailored to parents with non-traditional working hours.
🥇 1st Place: Esmeralda Rios, Junior, founder of a business offering chocolate-covered treats designed to bring joy to those with limited financial means who want to gift something special to loved ones.
We’re so proud of these young entrepreneurs and can’t wait to see how they develop their inspiring ideas. The future is bright!
We are proud to share that Jayme Thompson, a senior cheerleader and captain of Dalton High School’s Varsity Competition Cheerleading squad, has been selected to perform in the 98th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with the Spirit of America cheerleaders and dancers!
You can watch Jayme represent Dalton live on NBC next Thursday at 8:30 AM. Congratulations, Jayme, on this incredible achievement!
This week, the Dalton Board of Education upheld the district's tradition of delivering apples to all staff in celebration of American Education Week. 🍎 Board members also took a moment to express their gratitude, thanking employees for their hard work and dedication to students.
Westwood Elementary School had a wild time this week as they warmly welcomed new friends from the North Georgia Wildlife Park 'Zoo To You' Program!
Thanksgiving Break Reminder!
School will be closed for Thanksgiving from Nov. 25-29. We'll see everyone back on Monday, Dec. 2! 🦃🍁
