
Dalton Public Schools is proud to announce that Jessica Barbosa has been named The Dalton Academy’s 2024–2025 Classified Staff Member of the Year. Barbosa, who currently serves as the school’s bookkeeper, has been with Dalton Public Schools for more than 20 years, bringing consistency, compassion, and leadership to every role she has held.
Read more: https://www.daltonpublicschools.com/article/2421157


This week, we’re shining a light on Mr. Adam Sanford’s classroom at Park Creek School! His students have been exploring digital landscapes, focusing on creating light-to-dark layers to bring depth into their work.
Their vocabulary word of the week was “Values” — which, in digital art, refers to the range of lightness and darkness in a piece. By learning how values impact mood and contrast, students are building strong foundations in both technique and creativity.
We are excited to share that several of these incredible student artworks will be submitted to the local fair for judging. Please join us in celebrating their hard work and talent during National Arts in Education Week!
#NationalArtsInEducationWeek

Happy National IT Professionals Day!
Today, we celebrate our incredible DPS Technology Team for their dedication, expertise, and commitment to keeping our systems running smoothly. From solving tech challenges to ensuring our classrooms stay connected, you make a difference every single day for our staff and students.
Below, you’ll find the amazing individuals who support IT in one way or another — each playing a vital role in making technology work for all of us.
Amado Barragan — Technician City Park
Benjamin Sumilong — ESS
Blake Walden — Technician Brookwood
Blanca Guzman — Enrollment
Deborah Ohearon — Enrollment
Kendall Jordan — Enrollment
Michelle Long — Enrollment
Rosa Lopez — Enrollment
Yanet Hernandez — Enrollment
Janet Hewitt — Instructional Technology
Kellie Erwin Director — Instructional Technology
Rachel Bray — Instructional Technology
Stuart Davis — Technology
Jacob Fields — Technician HCMS
Derrick Hart — Technology Specialist
Irene Jones — Technology
Jason Prock — Technology Specialist
Jorge Miranda — Network Administrator
Mike Leonard — Technology Specialist
Tyler Lipsey — Technology Specialist WW
Veronica Sandoval — Technology Specialist
Kyle Ridley — Lead Technician Roan School
Lucas George — Technician DHS
Mykel Alexander — Technician DJHS / TDA
Tanya Zuniga — Technician Blue Ridge
Tim Beard — Technician Park Creek
Karen Mecyssine — Technology Specialist SNP
Anna Collins — Media Specialist
Annette Boreing — Media Specialist
Beth Mashburn — Media Specialist
Cathy Dalton — Media Specialist
Emily Carpenter — Media Specialist
Emily Elliott — Media Specialist
Hannah Higgins — Media Specialist
Hannah Talley — Media Specialist
Keri Faw — Media Specialist
Thank you for all you do — you are the backbone of our digital world!


We’re excited to share a few highlights from the first day of International Dot Day celebrations across Dalton Public Schools!
At City Park School, Dr. Christine Goldberg stopped by (wearing her Dot Day dress!) to visit Mr. Damasch’s art class, where students were hard at work on their Obliteration Room project, an activity inspired by artist Yayoi Kusama that celebrates creativity, collaboration, and making your mark in a shared space.
Over at Westwood School, the halls were bursting with color! Students explored augmented reality activities that brought their dots to life and proudly crafted Dot Day crowns, learning how art and technology can work together to spark imagination and self-expression.
These activities aren’t just fun—they help students embrace creativity, practice critical thinking, and discover the joy of learning through the arts.
Stay tuned the rest of this week as we continue to share more Dot Day and National Arts in Education Week moments from across our schools!










Today, Dalton Public Schools joins millions of students and educators around the world in celebrating International Dot Day—a day that encourages creativity, courage, and collaboration. Inspired by Peter H. Reynolds’ book The Dot, this celebration is about making your mark and seeing where it takes you.
This week also happens to be National Arts in Education Week, making it the perfect time to spotlight the creative spirit of our students and staff. Arts in education play a vital role in helping students express themselves, think critically, and connect with one another through creativity. Throughout the week, we’ll be highlighting classroom activities that showcase how our teachers and students are bringing imagination to life.
We’re also thrilled to share that a community photo display in honor of International Dot Day is now up and ready for use! Sponsored once again by Dr. Christine Goldberg, the display invites students, families, and community members to stop by, take a photo, and celebrate the power of creativity together. You can find it visible from Walnut Avenue near the Walgreens (at the corner of Judd Terrace and Walnut Avenue). The display will be available until September 16, so don’t miss your chance to “make your mark” and join the fun!






This week, we’re celebrating National Finance and Accounting Appreciation Week! 🎉
Our dedicated finance and accounting team plays a vital role in ensuring the success of our district, keeping everything running smoothly behind the scenes. From managing budgets to ensuring resources are allocated where they’re needed most, their hard work supports our students, staff, and schools. Join us in thanking them for their dedication, accuracy, and commitment to excellence!
Join us in celebrating our finance team: Theresa Perry, Angela Macon, Kelley Lazo, Lisa Dobson, and Selena Garcia!


This year’s opening lessons centered on building a literacy foundation through the beloved story Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. The colorful, rhythmic book introduces children to uppercase and lowercase letters as they climb a lively coconut tree. Teachers used the story’s playful illustrations and vocabulary to spark conversations, make connections to prior experiences, and expose students to print in meaningful ways.
Students rotated through two engaging small-group activities:
Literacy-Based Lesson – Each child recreated their name on a Chicka Chicka Boom Boom tree using crayons, pencils, and scissors. This activity built fine motor skills while helping students recognize and construct their names with letters.
STEM-Based Lesson – Students assembled a model coconut tree, labeling its parts. This hands-on experience combined fine motor practice with early science learning, reinforcing vocabulary and observation skills.
Both activities were designed to connect literacy with creativity, movement, and problem-solving,supporting the program’s mission to nurture curious, confident, and Pre-kindergarten-ready learners.











Wearing yellow helmets and orange vests, students explored constructive and destructive processes that shape our planet. Using Chips Ahoy cookies, graham crackers, frosting, and chocolate chips, they modeled divergent, convergent, and transform boundaries—all inside a “caution-taped” construction zone!
Hands-on learning made science come alive as students discovered how the Earth is constantly changing beneath our feet.











This year’s event highlighted the energy, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit that make our community thrive. It was a great opportunity to build relationships and celebrate all that makes Greater Dalton strong!







Our talented young artists continue to showcase their creativity and passion, making us incredibly proud!











Classroom Spotlight: In Mr. Facey and Mrs. Esparza’s History classroom at The Dalton Academy, students recently explored the 2nd Great Awakening, discovering how powerful ideas and movements can inspire lasting social reform.





📌 Friday, September 19: Early Release Day
📌 Monday, September 22: Virtual Learning Day – Students will complete assignments from home.
We look forward to seeing our students back in class on Tuesday, September 23!



Dr. Craft shared exciting updates, including:
✅ Our new Mission & Vision to guide daily work in every school
✅ Five Commitments: Safety & Security, Culture, Tier 1 Instruction, Literacy, and Customer Service
✅ Districtwide DaltonReads! literacy efforts — from LETRS training for teachers to a new mobile literacy van and book vending machines in elementary schools
✅ Student achievement growth on the 2025 Georgia Milestones (gains in 18 of 27 areas!)
✅ Facility and program innovations like the Roan School transformation, Dalton Academy pathway growth, and the launch of Cyber Academy serving 130+ students
Together, these updates highlight a clear and unified direction for Dalton Public Schools — safe and welcoming schools, strong instruction, a deep focus on literacy, and responsive support for families.
You can read more and view Dr. Craft’s full presentation here ➡️: https://www.daltonpublicschools.com/article/2402348


Our students demonstrated strong leadership throughout the day, showing that the future is bright. Thank you to Mrs. Holverson and Mrs. Starks for organizing such a meaningful and impactful experience.











Special thanks go to the Dalton High School Catabots for constructing the large houses, the Dalton Education Foundation for making this project possible, and the Dalton Fire Department for volunteering their time and expertise to teach students about fire safety.
The experience gave students a rare opportunity to apply classroom knowledge to real-world scenarios, strengthening both their technical skills and community connections.












Dalton Public Schools will be conducting safety drills throughout the year to keep students and staff prepared.
Learn more here: https://www.daltonpublicschools.com/article/2391018


Dalton Public Schools is now enrolling 3–4-year-olds for the 2025-2026 Little Cats Program! This free parent and child program meets once a week for 2.5 hours, offering a range of activities including story time, music, movement, and literacy, math, and science activities to foster academic and motor skills development. Classes are led by the DPS Early Childhood Coordinator and are available at three locations:
CURRENT LOCATIONS:
CITY PARK ELEMENTARY: Morning and afternoon sessions will be offered. Classes will be every Wednesday, starting in January 2026.
Address: 105 N. Thornton Avenue, Dalton, GA 30720
BEECHLAND RESOURCE CENTER: Afternoon session will be offered. Classes will be every Wednesday, starting in January 2026.
Address:704 Beechland Circle. Dalton, GA 30721
ROAN ROUNDHOUSE: Morning and afternoon sessions will be offered. Classes will be every Tuesday, starting on September 9th.
Address: 400 Vann Circle Dalton, GA 30721For more information, please contact:
Saira Laruy: 706-463-7631
Click here for more information: https://5il.co/2t4qk

