Back To School Dolvin Diary
August 3, 2022
Principal's Message
Dear Dolvin Families –
I am excited to welcome families into the building on Friday morning for our Sneak Peek!
You will be able to see your child’s schedule/teacher through the Parent Portal on Infinite Campus beginning Thursday. For help setting up a parent portal account CLICK HERE. You can also view a recording of a parent coffee we delivered on Infinite Campus HERE. If you are unable to access the information through the parent portal, class lists will be posted at the front entry of the school by Thursday at 5 pm.
We will have two sessions of Sneak Peek:
- 8 – 9 am Last names A-L
- 10 – 11 am Last names M-Z
In addition to visiting your child’s/children’s classrooms, there are a number of other areas of the building to visit on Friday morning.
- Cafeteria: Bus information, PTA and Foundation tables, Cafeteria assistance (setting up an account, etc.)
- Media Center: Car Pool tags – everyone who uses car pool or has a child who is a walker needs a new number this year. Make sure to stop by the Media Center with your ID to pick one up. If you need a car pool tag, but are unable to pick one up at Sneak Peek, you will need to stop by Dolvin’s front office to get one (Friday before 3:30 pm or Monday morning 7 – 8:30 am). If none of these times work for you, please email Jenn Shaffer (shafferj@fultonschools.org ) to make arrangements.
- Commons: After school vendors will be set up here. Stop by to get information and to sign up for classes.
When you stop by classrooms, please make sure that the teacher knows how your child will get home on Monday. That is critical information for us! Feel free to bring your child’s supplies on Friday so they won’t have as much to bring in on Monday. If your child has medication that needs to be kept in the clinic, you can bring those in on Friday as well. Mrs. Solanik will be there to receive them. See the attachments below for the 2022-2023 Health Services Information letter.
Staff members will be available around the building for assistance and directions – we are here to help 😊.
Please keep in mind that all class placements are considered tentative until after “Seat Day” (10th day of school) when the county notes enrollment numbers and adjusts classes as needed. No class placement changes will be made during the first two weeks of school.
I look forward to welcoming both new and returning Dolphins to the building on Friday!
Your proud principal,
Karen
Please Welcome Dolvin's New Staff Members
Yuri Im – PreK Teacher
Hello! My name is Yuri Im, and I am super excited to be a part of the Dolvin Elementary School team as a Pre-K teacher. I have 15 years of experience as a classroom teacher, and this will be my 11th year in Pre-K.
I was born in South Korea and moved to New York when I was in 5th Grade. I graduated from Stony Brook University with a Bachelor's degree in Linguistics. I continued my passion for teaching by receiving my master's degree in Elementary Education at Hunter College in New York.
Last year my family moved to Georgia and started our new journey. I have a wonderful husband, Paul, who is an acupuncturist, and a son Dale who is in high school.
I love to travel to different places and experience new things. I also love watching sports, especially tennis! I can't live without the Tennis Channel! I enjoy growing plants at home. My beautiful plants make me smile. I love music, and this summer I started to learn how to play the piano.
Katie Brewer – First Grade Teacher
Hello! My name is Katie Brewer, and I am thrilled to be joining the first grade team! I have been teaching in Fulton County for ten years, both in first grade and Kindergarten. I love first grade and all the learning, fun, and growth that occurs!
I am a native of LaGrange, GA, and attended college at Georgia College & State University. I moved to the Atlanta area after graduation and met my husband, Bo, shortly after. We have two daughters, Avery Beth (3) and Elise (1), and are excited for them to be future dolphins! My family and I enjoy spending time outdoors visiting farmer’s markets and local parks. We’re most likely to be found at Newtown Park or Ocee Park, so please don’t hesitate to say hello! I can’t wait to officially become a part of such a #DolvINcredible school!
Amy Jensen – Third Grade Teacher
Amy Jensen was born and raised in Iowa and attended high school in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.
She earned her Elementary Education degree from Brigham Young University.
After teaching for 8 years in Hawaii and Georgia, she decided to stay home and raise her three children full-time. She has resided in the Johns Creek area for 24 years and enjoyed substitute teaching at the local schools. Amy’s hobbies include quilting, gardening, playing tennis, and reading historical nonfiction. Each summer, she enjoys volunteering as a seamstress at a children’s theater camp. Amy is excited to return to full-time teaching and to share her love of learning with the Dolvin Elementary community.
Macy White – Third Grade Teacher
Hometown: Alpharetta
Graduated from Kennesaw State University
I live with my little yorkie pup.
I have two sisters and a brother.
I enjoy being around kids and friends.
I love being on the lake with my family!
Kelly Morgan – Fourth Grade Teacher
Hello! My name is Kelly Morgan and I am so excited to join the 4th Grade Team at Dolvin! I grew up in Alpharetta and graduated from Milton High School. After graduating with my undergraduate degree from Auburn University, I returned to Fulton County Schools and taught 4th grade at Abbotts Hill Elementary. For the last six years, I have been living in New York City and worked in education in many different leadership capacities. My husband and I were married in June 2021. We moved to Atlanta one week ago and we are excited for this new adventure! In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, trying new restaurants, and watching college football.
Nicholas Distasio – Fifth Grade
I’m from Reading, Pennsylvania, and am the middle child to an older sister and a younger brother. I have a Jack Russell Terrier mix named Sir Robert Biscuits, but Bob is his nickname. 😊 Outside of school I occasionally like to practice Jiujitsu/Wrestling, go on hiking trails in the mountains, and fish at Lake Hartwell.
Jeana Lee – Special Education Teacher
My name is Jeana Lee and I am so excited to be joining the Dolvin team! I grew up just outside Boston, MA, and taught in Boston for several years. My husband is an Atlanta native and we moved our family here a few years ago. We have a two-year-old daughter and four-year-old son. I received undergraduate degrees in Elementary Education and Psychology from Boston College. I also earned my Master’s Degree in Moderate Special Needs from Boston College. I have experience in both general education and special education and am passionate about meeting the needs of all students. This will be my nineteenth year teaching and my 1st year with Fulton County. Outside of school, I love spending time with my family and staying active. Our family also loves the Braves and we're often watching or attending a game.
Amber Fisher – School Counselor
A few things about me...
I have three kids (Addison 16, Thomas 13, and Jacob 10) and my husband Jon.
We have a very large and overweight German Shepard named Rizzo, a tailless cat named Humphrey Bogart, an orange cat named Mr. Whiskers and a black cat named Scout and I really am not a huge cat person. I love dogs!
We moved here 5 years ago from Illinois.
We are HUGE Chicago Cubs fans.
Hobbies include being an Uber mom, driving around and watching my kids play one of their many sports (flag football, basketball, travel baseball, soccer, rec. baseball and boy scouts), camping, being outside on beautiful days, watching Hallmark movies and fantasizing about the hobbies I would like if I had the time such as gardening and refinishing old furniture.
I could live off coffee if my doctor would only approve.
I am passionate about giving back to the community through volunteer work of various types.
I love to have fun, be playful and laugh (often at myself).
Laura Palgon – Art Teacher
I am thrilled to be joining the staff at Dolvin! I am originally from the Chicago area but have lived here for more than 20 years. My husband and I have two children, one in high school and one in college. They are both former Dolvin students, which makes teaching at Dolvin so special. I have been subbing for art teachers for several years and I am so excited to return as a full-time Art teacher! While I love all art media, textiles are my favorite. I enjoy embroidery, making quilts and sewing for charity. When I am not sewing, I love to hang out with my rescue dog, Marco.
LeeAnnderia Weaver – Cafeteria Manager
I graduated From Albany State University with a B.S. in Psychology. I obtained my Nutrition Specialist and Personal Trainer Certification from (INTERNATIONAL SPORTS SCIENCES ASSOCIATION-ISSA). I'm SERVSAFE certified and will also be Dolvin Dolphins YMCA After-School Co-Site Director this year. The most important thing you need to know about me is I love Health/Wellness and anything involving nutrition. I can't wait for the upcoming school year to serve kids nutritional and tasty meals all year long!
My name is Stefanie Shore, and I’m the new itinerant art teacher! When I’m not teaching, I’m thrifting, estate sale-ing, and jewelry making to stock my booth at City Antiques in Roswell. If you’re there on a Sunday, you might just see me working behind the counter! My amazing daughter, Jane, is going into first grade at Atlanta Academy where my husband is the PK-8 music teacher by day, and Pink Floyd tribute band rockstar by night. That fluff ball in the picture is Jane's fur sister, Mabel (a 3 month old Havapoo).
Jonathan Cleek – Itinerant PE Teacher (Fridays)
My name is Jonathan Cleek, and I am originally from Hurricane, West Virginia. I have a beautiful wife, Samantha, and a perfect little boy named Wesley. He is my first and it has been a life changer! I am passionate about college football, smoking BBQ, playing sports (i.e., golf, basketball, corn hole), and enjoy hiking with my two dogs named Rudy and Maple!
Jason Russo – Adaptive PE
I was born and raised here in Atlanta and actually graduated from Riverwood HS where I now teach Adaptive PE as well as coach Baseball. I am the oldest and have 2 sisters that are in Colorado and Michigan currently. My fiancé and I are getting married in October and we have a dog, Kelley.
Paige Wolkin – Deaf and Hard of Hearing Teacher
I was born and raised in Atlanta, GA and attended the University of Tennessee for college where I received my bachelors and masters degree in special education with a concentration in deaf/hard of hearing. I moved back to Atlanta after college, and have been with Fulton County for almost 10 years.
I am currently working on my second masters degree part time in speech and language pathology. I currently reside with my fiancé, David, and my dog, Ace. We are beginning the process of wedding planning and have landed on a date of next New Years (12/31/2023), after I am done with school/my SLP degree!
During my (very little) free time, I love just simply spending time with family and friends.
Dr. John Burger – School Social Worker
I am excited about the 2022-2023 school year and serving our students/families. My hobbies are gardening and working out/healthier lifestyle. I am passionate about traveling the globe.
Kara DeMasi – SDI (Specially Designed Instruction) Coach
I am looking forward to stepping into my new role as SDI coach and joining the Dolvin community! I live in Westside Atlanta with my husband, John, our dog Layla, and our cat Sebastian! I was married last September at the Fernbank museum and am in the process of changing my name so I will soon be Kara Ledoux. I grew up in Westchester, NY, and moved to Manhattan after college. I moved to Atlanta 6 years ago. One of my favorite hobbies is pasta making! This summer my husband and I spent 2 weeks in Italy where we took a cooking class in Tuscany. I have been teaching Special Education for nine years and I am very excited to be a part of the SPED team at Dolvin.
Courtney McCain – Kindergarten Assistant
My name is Courtney McCain, and my hometown is Johns Creek, GA. My family consists of my mom, dad, two sisters, and me. I have an adorable dog-a Chihuahua named Rico. I enjoy traveling, watching good movies/tv shows, playing piano, reading, and spending time with family.
Dawn Clawson – PE Assistant
My family and I moved back to Alpharetta a year ago from Madison, Wisconsin. We called Madison "home" for 12 years, but moved to Georgia to be closer to family. My husband and I have 4 kids and love to be outdoors with them - biking, swimming and hiking are some of our favorite things to do as a family. I was a middle school teacher for 6 years and worked as an elementary assistant for an additional 3. I was also a water aerobics instructor in Wisconsin. I love teaching and working with kids, and am so excited to be joining the team at Dolvin Elementary!
Ariel Lochner – PreK Assistant
Hometown: Johns Creek, GA (the best place to live in the world)
Family: Married to James, Mother to Annabelle 2nd grade, and Christina Kindergarten
Pets: 2 Black Lab Puppy Brothers: Sixty and Boone
Favorite Color: Sky Blue
Favorite Books: The Berenstain Bears
Alma Mater: Georgia Tech
Hidden Talent: Always being happy being me
Dislikes: Bananas
Fun Facts: I have been bitten on the ankle by a 7ft long snake.
Hobbies: Chess
I love everything I do, and I do everything I love! So excited to be a Dolvin Dolphin.
Ryan Pangrazio – Itinerant PE Assistant (Fridays)
Hometown: Suwanee, GA
Pets: 1 dog named Berkley ( 7 year old black lab)
Hobbies/interests: Die hard ATL sports fan, anything active/outside, playing sports, and exploring new cities.
District Health Services - Annual Parent Information Letter 2022-2023
Car Pool Lines
Morning car pool will continue to operate on the Jones Bridge side of the building. We rely very heavily on parent cooperation to keep car pool running smoothly. As marked in the map below, we ask parents to pull up as far as possible (the first car being at the red star/end of the awning) before letting children out of vehicles. We have a heavy car line in the morning, and our FCS officer is not always able to arrive for the beginning of car pool.
Afternoon car pool will remain on the Buice side as in previous years.
Breakfast and Lunch at Dolvin
Who should you contact with questions or concerns?
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to a member of the administrative team. The first point of contact should always be your child’s teacher.
Mrs. Allison Polaski – Instructional Support Teacher (IST), polaski@fultonschools.org
- Mrs. Polaski coordinates programs and service delivery for our special education students. Questions about special education services at Dolvin should be addressed to the IST. Mrs. Polaski is at Dolvin on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays.
Mrs. Amber Fisher – School Counselor, fishera@fultonschools.org
- Mrs. Fisher works with school personnel to foster a positive learning environment for our students. She provides classroom guidance instruction and also works with students individually and in small groups as needed. Mrs. Fisher is the 504 chair.
Mrs. Jennifer Shaffer – Administrative Assistant, shafferj@fultonschools.org
- Mrs. Shaffer is Dolvin’s device coordinator and coordinates/leads SST meetings.
Mrs. Carrie Halron – Curriculum Support Teacher (CST), halron@fultonschools.org
- Mrs. Halron is the point of contact for questions regarding curriculum, continuous achievement, and class placements.
Mr. Andy Stein – Assistant Principal, steina@fultonschools.org
- Mr. Stein oversees student information (Infinite Campus, Parent Portal), grading, standardized testing, discipline, and transportation.
If further assistance is still needed, contact the Principal, Ms. Karen Cooke cookek1@fultonschools.org.
Entering the Building
As part of FCS Safety procedures, we are required to ask anyone entering the building why they are here. When a visitor rings the bell, our front office secretary Terri (or whoever answers the door) will ask “How may I help you” even if she knows you very well. Please briefly share your reason for visiting the school, and she will let you in. We appreciate your cooperation on this very important safety item.
Community Meetings with Linda McCain 2022 - 2023
Parent Volunteers
We welcome and greatly appreciate our volunteers at Dolvin! If you would like to be a volunteer, you must complete the Volunteer Registration Application prior to volunteering. For volunteer information and frequently asked questions on the Fulton County Schools website, click HERE.
Please note the following as stated on the Fulton County Website:
All persons interested in volunteering in the Fulton County School District must complete an application every two years. Even if a person has completed an application in the past. To keep in compliance with State Law and best practices, we will require everyone to re-register/register every two years based on the following volunteer service periods.
Volunteer Service Periods:
June 2020 thru May 2022
June 2022 thru May 2024
The registration process can be found on the FCS District Website under Community/Partners and Volunteers. In accordance with State Law, all volunteers must be current with the Child Abuse Reporting Protocol Training before being allowed to volunteer in our schools. All applicants must wait 24 hours after applying for application processing. Applicants should be prepared to spend about 10-15 minutes for the training and application process. It is very important that volunteers enter their full legal name as it appears on government issued ID. Please do not use nicknames or goes by names on the application.
Please click HERE to begin the online Volunteer Registration Application. Thank you.
Carpool Tags
Dolvin will be distributing NEW carpool numbers/tags for the 2022 - 2023 school year. Please destroy the carpool tag that has been assigned to your family and you will receive a new number/tag for this school year. Thank you.
Resources in Different Languages
Bienvenido de nuevo. 입학을 환영합니다.欢迎回来. वापसी पर स्वागत है. Добро пожаловать. Bem vindo de volta. Сардэчна запрашаем назад. お帰りなさい. Content de te revoir. مرحبًا بعودتك ברוך שובך chào mừng trở lại خوش برگشتی
Nice to meet you! I’m Mrs.Holladay and I am so glad that you are here at Dolvin. I look forward to meeting all of you, the parents of Dolvin! I am the Bilingual Community Liaison. My second language is Korean, but I am super passionate about helping ALL parents become educated and empowered to be the best advocates for their students! I am here to help all parents. Please let me know if there is something I can do to help you.
¡Un placer conocerte! Soy la Sra. Holladay y estoy muy contenta de que esté aquí en Dolvin. ¡Espero conocerlos a todos ustedes, los padres de Dolvin! Soy el enlace comunitario bilingüe. ¡Mi segundo idioma es el coreano, pero me apasiona ayudar a TODOS los padres a educarse y empoderarse para ser los mejores defensores de sus estudiantes! Estoy aquí para ayudar a todos los padres. Por favor, avíseme si hay algo que pueda hacer para ayudarlo. (*disculpe cualquier error tipográfico, se usó traducción electrónica)
만나서 반갑습니다! 저는 Mrs.Holladay입니다.저는 이중 언어 커뮤니티 연락 담당자입니다. 제 두 번째 언어는 한국어이지만 모든 부모가 학생들을 위한 최고의 옹호자가 될 수 있도록 돕고자 합니다. 제가 도와드릴 일이 있으면 알려주세요.기꺼이 도아들이겠습니다.
Heritage Board at Dolvin!
A new bulletin board at Dolvin in the new 2022-23 school year!
Parents, we are always celebrating our diverse group of Dolvin Dolphins and we would love for you to help!
- Would you like to celebrate your family’s heritage? Volunteer to decorate our Heritage Board!
- Would you like be in charge of decorating the Heritage Board with the country of the month?
- Please use this form to sign up: https://forms.office.com/r/4yXLZeMsBu
Dates to Remember
August 8
First Day of School
August 12
Parent Coffee - SGC/PTA/DESF/PBIS
August 16
Community Meeting with Linda McCain at Northview High School 6:30 p.m.
September 5
Labor Day - (schools closed)
Stay In Touch With Dolvin
Dolvin Website: dolvin.org
Dolvin PTA Website: dolvinpta.org
Dolvin PTA Email: dolvinpta@gmail.com
Dolvin Foundation Website: dolvinfoundation.org
Teacher's blogs
Twitter: Follow us at @DolvinES
Dolvin Diary - A new issue comes out the first and third Thursday of the month. Please read to keep up with current events at the school.
Peachjar: Various flyers are sent home via Peachjar.
Dolvin-specific flyers come to your inbox on Thursdays. All can be viewed following the link
on the homepage at dolvin.org or click HERE.
LED Sign: Located on the corner of Buice Road and Jones Bridge Road.