NOVEMBER 2026 DILLON ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
TEACHING EFFECTIVELY-LEARNING SUCCESSFULLY
SUPERINTENDENT’S MESSAGE: MR. RANDY SHIPMAN
Hello from the district office here in School District #10! I hope this newsletter finds everyone doing well and bracing for the changing weather. As I write this newsletter the weather went from beautiful a few days ago to cold and wet. In the newsletter this month I would like to talk about school safety and show appreciation for our hard-working educators.
School safety is a topic that is constantly on our minds. I want you to know that we are working hard to make sure that your children and school staff members are safe while at school by practicing several drills throughout the year including fire, earthquake and intruder drills. Our staff members do a great job preparing our students in the event of a disaster here at school. Additionally, staff is constantly receiving training on various safety features such as first aid, CPR/AED (automated external defibrillator) training, intruder training, and bullying and suicide awareness and prevention.
Another way that we are addressing student and staff safety is through our Crisis Response Team, made up of administrators, teachers, paraprofessionals, custodial staff and others. This team meets periodically to review and discuss protocols and best practices. In early December, our team will meet to discuss and review our safety protocols and procedures and to make sure that we are doing everything we can to protect our most precious resource.
Another topic I would like to focus on this month revolves around our educators. The week of November 16, 2026, is American Education Week and in honor of that, I would like to take the time in this newsletter to applaud our educators for all of the wonderful things that they do. Teaching is truly a noble profession in which our educators should be proud. The daily impact that they make in students’ lives is tremendous and extremely noteworthy. I am immensely proud of them. Please take the time to thank a teacher, a paraprofessional, a bus driver, a kitchen worker, a custodian, a trustee, an administrator, administrative staff, a clerk, a substitute/guest teacher, a licensed professional working in the school or anyone else connected to the school who works with our children. And then, thank the parents for the wonderful job they do raising their children each and every day. Dillon is lucky to have great educators and great parents who are always working together toward the betterment of our youth.
Don’t forget that you can stay informed about what is happening at your child’s school by accessing our website at www.dillonschools.org. Academic information such as teacher lesson plans, grades and sports schedules can be located on this website. In addition, this site contains the lunch menu, student handbook, our district policy manual, board meeting agendas and the school calendar.
Finally, I would like to express again how excited and honored I am to be your superintendent at School District #10 and a part of such a great community. I would like to thank everyone in advance for working with us to make our district a success. If there is any way that I may be of assistance to you, please stop in or call the district office at 683-4311, option #3.
PARKVIEW ELEMENTARY NEWS: GREG FITZGERALD
Parkview Happenings
It’s hard to believe we’ve already completed the first two months of school! We are quickly approaching the end of the first trimester, and both students and teachers have been working diligently to achieve their academic and personal goals.
We’d like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all parents and guardians for attending Parent/Teacher Conferences, whether in person or online. This year we reached an impressive 95% attendance rate! Your participation helps foster strong communication between home and school—one of the most important factors in a student’s success. If you ever have questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to email or call your child’s teacher so we can address them promptly.
Our Heritage Day celebration for Kindergarten and 1st Grade students will take place on Friday, November 6th. We appreciate all of our wonderful presenters who have volunteered their time to make this a meaningful and educational experience for our students.
We continue to ask for your cooperation in helping us deliver end-of-day messages to students efficiently. Please contact the office no later than 2:30 p.m. Monday–Thursday and 1:30 p.m. on Fridays when making changes to your child’s after-school plans. This allows staff adequate time to ensure your message reaches your child before dismissal. Whenever possible, please make arrangements before the start of the school day.
There will be no school November 25th–27th for Thanksgiving Break. School will be dismissed at the regular time on Tuesday, November 24th.
As we head into colder months, please make sure your child comes to school prepared for changing weather conditions. At a minimum, students should wear a coat, hat, and gloves each day. While this fall has been mild, Montana weather can shift quickly!
A big thank you to Mountain View Insurance, Nye Insurance Agency, Barrett Hospital and Healthcare, and Malesich Ranch for their generous donation to our Hot Lunch Program—your support makes a difference!
If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact the school directly, visit our school webpage, or follow us on Facebook for updates and announcements.
MIDDLE SCHOOL NEWS: JOEL ROGERS
Happy November from Dillon Middle School!
It is hard to believe we have already completed nine weeks of the school year and are preparing to begin Quarter 2. We are incredibly thankful for the continued support our students and staff receive from DMS families and the Dillon community. Your encouragement, feedback, and involvement make a difference, and we sincerely appreciate your partnership in helping our students have a successful school year.
November brings several important dates and events. Our annual Veterans Day Assembly will be held Wednesday, November 11, at 10:30 a.m. in the DMS Gym. This is always a meaningful opportunity for our school to recognize and honor our veterans, current service members, and their families. Additional details will be posted on the district Facebook page and website as we get closer to the event.
Friday, November 13, will be another important and exciting day at DMS. It marks the end of Quarter 1, and that evening we will host our first school dance of the year from 6:00-8:00 p.m. We look forward to giving our students an opportunity to spend time with their classmates and celebrate the completion of the first quarter.
We are also beginning a new season of DMS activities, with boys' basketball and girls cross training now underway. Current schedules can always be found at www.dillonschools.org under the Dillon Middle School tab. We encourage you to come out and support our student athletes whenever you have the opportunity. They always appreciate seeing our families and community in the stands.
Finally, please remember that there will be no school Wednesday, November 25 through Friday, November 27, for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Thank you again for your continued support of Dillon Middle School. We are grateful to serve such a supportive school community and look forward to a great November. As always, if there is anything Mrs. Mickelson or I can assist you with, please do not hesitate to contact the DMS office.
Very Respectfully,
-Mr. Rogers
November Calendar
Monday, 11/2
3:45 p.m.-7th and 8th grade girls cross training begins
Tuesday, 11/3
4:30 p.m.-Boys Basketball at Home
Tuesday, 11/110
8:30 am-K-8th Picture Retake Day
3:45 p.m.-Boys Basketball Pictures
Wednesday, 11/11
10:30 a.m. – Veterans Day Assembly (DMS Gym)
Friday, 11/13
2:45 p.m.-End of Quarter #1
6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.-School Dance
Tuesday, 11/17
4:30 pm-Boys Basketball B Teams at Home
Thursday, 11/19
4:00 p.m.-Boys Basketball at Butte East
Friday, 11/20
2:40 p.m. – Quarter #1 Report Cards sent home.
Wednesday-11/25-11/27
NO SCHOOL