Dowling Newsletter - May 8, 2026

From the Principal

It has been an amazing week for our Dowling Community! I have so much appreciation and gratitude for our PTO. The Earth Day event on Saturday resulted in freshly planted trees, new garden beds and a bike exchange. The Walk, Bike and Roll event brought our community together on the front lawn on Wednesday with a push to reduce our emissions and walk, bike and roll whenever you can. There is also much anticipation in the building for the Spring Fling (Dance) tonight! I also can’t forget the AMAZING Teacher/Staff appreciation treats that happened each day this week. We feel so loved by our Dowling community!

A Shout Out to our Favorite Substitute Teachers!

Do you know what Beth, Amelia and Justin have in common? They are all Dowling parents who spend many of their days each week substituting at Dowling. We are so thankful that they come and work at Dowling so that we can keep our school running smoothly. We still have a great need for more substitutes! 

Do you have a 4 year college degree, want to bring your kid/s with you to work and make a difference in the lives of students? Email me about the process of becoming a substitute! We would like to double our number of substitute/parents for the 26-27 year! It takes about 6-8 weeks for the process to be completed so please don’t delay! kari.page@mpls.k12.mn.us

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 

Transportation for Next School Year

Please watch for the “Save your Seat” email from the Transportation Department next week. Requests for bus transportation next year can be made through the MyRide K-12 app. 

We recommend submitting your request before the end of the school year so we can assist with any issues you may encounter. If you have an incoming kindergartener, you may not have access to them in the app right away, so please contact the transportation coordinator: catherine.mcdonnell-forney@mpls.k12.mn.us or (612) 666-4432.

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 

Community Education - Afterschool Youth Enrichment

Next week is the last day of afterschool session 3! May 13th is the last day. 

We hope you enjoyed a wonderful year of activities. Please look out for a survey in the coming weeks to get your feedback about classes this year and next year. 

Reach out with questions or feedback, Nicole Melendez, program coordinator nicole.melendez@mpls.k12.mn.us    612-668-4444 , se habla espanol 

5th Grade Band Concert

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 who 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

Lots of fun to wrap up the year!

Today Friday, May 8, 6-7:30pm  - Spring Fling/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. This is not a drop off event, all students must have a caregiver with them. 

Thursday May 28th, 4:30-7:00pm- Dowling Carnival

Save the date! More details to come. We will need lots of volunteers for this event, stay tuned for a sign up. 

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