“We currently have less than 100 students considering the option of the Independent Learning Program which will be completed online”

DIXON, CA (MPG) - Although all students and staff are required to wear masks per the California Department of Public Health guidelines, the closest thing to a normal school year begins next week for Dixon Unified School District. 

 Principals and Vice Principals will be greeting approximately 3,030 local students as they enter campus for their first day of school on Wednesday, August 11.

 For elementary schools, Anderson Elementary, Gretchen Higgins Elementary, and Tremont Elementary, that will be a short day as Wednesdays are short days year-round. 

 Those three sites will follow the Wednesday schedule of 8:15 am to 12:10 with lunches provided after school as they are traditionally on Wednesdays. The other weekday school hours are 8:15 am to 2:40 pm.

 Prior to the big day, students should have started receiving information this past week through the school’s websites, mail, and phone calls but elementary school schedules will be posted Friday, August 6, by 4 pm according to Shawntel McCammon, Coordinator of Outreach, Engagement, and Innovation for the District. 

 John Knight Middle School will host a Grand Opening on Saturday, August 7, noon to 4 pm and the public is invited. DUSD Superintendent Brian Dolan, JKMS Principal Kamilah O’Conner and Assistant Principal Jodie Stueve will be welcoming guests. 

 School schedules can be picked up for 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th graders on August 9, from 2 to 6 pm.

 Dixon High School has Freshmen/Sophomore Orientation on August 6 with a separate Parent Orientation on August 9. Students and families should check their emails for the latest RAMpage Newsletter from Principal Stephanie Marquez.

 On Tuesday, August 10, all students are invited to come to campus to take their picture for the yearbook at their assigned time by grade level and last name which can also be found in the RAMpage Newsletter. 

 Main Prairie High School students will get their schedule on the first day of school when they arrive on campus by 8:30 am. 

 McCammon reported that this year’s numbers are: Gretchen Higgins and Tremont both having about 400 students; Anderson has about 450; the middle school has about 600; Dixon High School has 1,070 and Maine Prairie has about 90.

 “We currently have less than 100 students considering the option of the Independent Learning Program which will be completed online,” she said. “There is no hybrid or homeschool option. These numbers are changing as we have new families to Dixon still enrolling. We hope to keep seeing this as we get closer to opening.”

 McCammon, who is the former Principal of Gretchen Higgins, is being replaced by newcomer Martha Salazar, along with 25 new teachers. 

 “We still have vacancies in our credentialed and classified units and encourage folks to check out www.edjoin.org.” she added.