Dowling Newsletter - May 1st, 2026

From the Principal

Today was Principal Appreciation Day. I am always in awe of the appreciation I feel as your principal here at Dowling. Today, I arrived to a Wizard of Oz themed decorated office. Complete with “feet” socks sticking out from under my keyboard. Hundreds of students wrote messages on post-it notes that formed a rainbow and a pot of gold. It was truly a sight to see. It is an absolute honor to work here and serve the students, families and staff at Dowling. Thank you.

Safety Concern (repeat from last week)

Metal Water Bottles

Unfortunately, metal water bottles have caused a few significant injuries on the bus in the recent past. When a metal water bottle collides with a student’s body, it can cause an injury. I am asking all families of students who ride the bus to switch from a metal water bottle to a plastic water bottle moving forward. I know this may be an inconvenience but I ask that you follow this rule so that we can keep the bus as safe as possible for our students. Thank you. 

Spring Reminders

In case you missed the spring reminders flyer that went home this week, it can be viewed on the Dowling website, along with current and past issues of the school newsletter, by visiting: dowling.mpschools.org/about/news 

Minneapolis Kids - Reminder

Minneapolis Kids is CLOSED on Monday, May 25th, and Tuesday, May 26th.

Minneapolis Kids is open for non-school day care on Wednesday, May 27th. Please reach out to Maya if you are unsure if your child is enrolled on the May 27th non-school day.

SAVE THE DATE! Registration for SY 26-27 Non-School Days opens on August 14th at 7am.

Questions? Reach out to Maya Christensen, Program Coordinator.

Maya.christensen@mpls.k12.mn.us 

5th Grade Band Concert

SAVE THE DATE! Join us for a 5th Grade Music Performance in May!

On Wednesday, May 20 2:30 p.m. 5th grade students will perform and share what they have been learning this year in Band! Plus, each class will perform one African drumming piece they will be learning over the next few weeks with guest artists Jesse and Benita Buckner. I plan to record both performances for caregivers that cannot attend daytime concerts. Please reach out if you have questions. ~Ms. Allison allison.cramer@mpls.k12.mn.us

Dowling Wishlist

Please check out the Dowling wishlist. We’d be very grateful for any donations!

Dowling PTO

PTO Elections & Meeting
5/11 | 6:30 pm | Cafeteria or virtual (cc available)
Join virtually: https://meet.google.com/tcn-ekno-cjg
Meeting agendas

A big weekend and week ahead!

Tomorrow (Saturday) May 2, 2–5pm - Get Outdoors
You’ve likely seen the flyers and texts, so we’ll keep this short: We’re excited to see everyone tomorrow at Dowling! We’ll be building ten garden beds, planting trees, tuning up bikes for students, enjoying fun activities, and creating an outdoor educational space that will be used for years to come.

If you can make it, even for a short stretch, we’d love to have you. And if you happen to have extra bikes or helmets (in good condition) to donate or swap, or clean rags for bike tune ups, please bring them. We could also use a few more volunteers, click here to help.

Wednesday morning, May 6 - Bike, Walk, Roll to School Day
This is a fun nationwide event to get kids moving on the way to school. Join hundreds of participants from our school in a “bike bus”, walk with a group, or just make your own way in. We’re still looking for a few parents to help with support roles to ensure a safe and fun time for all. Event info and volunteer signup here.

Thursday, May 7 - Teacher & Staff Appreciation
We’re organizing a potluck for our amazing teachers and staff, and need a final push to fill remaining spots. We’re still short on some breakfast items and lunch dishes. If you can contribute even one item, it makes a real difference. Sign up for a meal here.

Friday, May 8, 6-7:30pm  - School Dance
The school dance is shaping up to be a great night! We’ll have DJ Lee spinning in the cafeteria for kids to show off their latest dance moves, outdoor play on Ramps, the media center open for anyone who wants a quieter place to hang out, snacks, and even a photo booth.

We’re also looking for a few volunteers to help make it run smoothly. Volunteers can email chair@dowlingpto.org to sign up.

Thanks for helping make this a great stretch for our students and staff.

2026–2027 PTO Board

PTO board elections are coming up May 11th, and nearly all seats will be open. We are still looking for someone interested in serving as Co-Secretary for a two-year term.

This is a great opportunity to get more involved, meet other families, and help shape the year ahead at Dowling. If you’re even a little curious, we’d love to hear from you.

Email board@dowlingpto.org or chair@dowlingpto.org to express interest.

Call for Yearbook Photos!

A group of parent volunteers are hard at work creating the yearbook. If you have any candid photos to share, please upload them to potentially be included in the yearbook.

Upload yearbook photos here!

Fridays “Stay to Play on the Ramps”

4:05–5:00 p.m.

Join us after school to play and catch up with friends. Many thanks to parent volunteer Katie Murray for coordinating this event again!

Mutual Aid Update

We have learned through this experience that there is an ongoing need within our school community for periodic support. To that end, funds will continue to support families as needs arise, whether or not tied to a specific event.

We are so grateful to everyone who has provided support and continues to support our amazing community. Thank you!

Donate here

Sign up to Request or Offer Aid Here