Good Afternoon, As promised earlier this afternoon this message is to let PK-5 families know that as of 3:59 all dementors buses routes have departed all elementary schools . Thank you for your patience! Take care of yourself. Take care of each other. Always...#LionPride!

Good Afternoon,
It is hard to believe we are already halfway through the day!

This is just a reminder that as this is the first day, we want to make sure that everyone is safe and feels safe and gets to the right place, the right bus, the right daycare provider, the right house/bus stop, and the right pick up line, etc.

As a result departure from our elementary schools may be slightly later than normal as we double and triple check lists and dismissal plans. In addition, many students have a different dismissal plan on the first day of school then the one they will normally have, so this is another potential variable that requires some additional double checking.

We ask that you be patient with staff this afternoon as they learn who your child is and who you are and what your child's dismissal plan is today vs. the rest of the year, etc. Again, the time we are taking today to make sure the everyone gets to where they are supposed to be after school will diminish rapidly over the course of this week and next week.

We will message all PK-5 Parents once the last elementary bus has departed for its route to drop off students.

Please call your child's school's main office at 607.844.8694 and follow the voice prompts to the right school. Take care of yourself. Take care of each other. Always....#LionPride,!

Good Morning! We are so excited to welcome everyone to campus this morning as we celebrate the first day of the 2026-2027 school year. We ask that safety be at the forefront of everyone's thinking this morning along with excitement, anticipation, and joy. Please follow all posted school zone speed limits. Please come to a full stop at all intersections. Please yield to pedestrians in crosswalks. Please follow all directions from staff in drop off and pick up lines. Finally, please be patient these first few days of schools as bus drivers find the rhythms for their new or updated routes and pick up and drop off lines find their own natural pace lines even out, and routines are established. We will see you soon! Please take care of yourself. Take care of each other! Always...#LionPride!

Welcome back to school Lions! 🦁
Please help us keep our students safe by obeying posted speed limits in school zones (15 mph around the Elementary Schools, 25 mph around the MS/HS), and being mindful of crosswalks. Please utilize the button on crosswalks to activate the warning lights to alert drivers.
Let's work together to keep our school community safe! #LionPride!

The Football Season is off and running! The #LionPride kicked off its season with its annual Patriots Game recognizing the sacrifices that our first responders and the military make on our behalf.

Good Morning,
We are following up regarding our resource list for individuals willing to offer free back to school haircuts. We were unable to secure any viable options to pass onto students and families. We will give it a go next year!
#LionPride!

Good Morning, We apologize. While the rain will not dampen our excitement about welcoming everyone back today and our students next week, it has put a damper on a red carpet. We will not be putting out the red carpet this year. Anyone is still welcome to cheer on staff as they return this morning, but we know the weather is no one's idea of fun on one of the last summer mornings for students! #LionPride!

Mr. Bacigalupi is getting ready and excited for the return of students and staff beginning next week! Sen d in your first day boards to pr@dryden.k12.ny.us and we will post them on our platforms during the opening days of the school year! #LionPride!

Dryden Middle School students who will be riding a bus, please contact the transportation office at 607-844-4221 to find out your bus number and bus stop.

Tame our Wild Lion Manes! We are looking for stylists and barbers who would be willing to donate their time and skills in the form of free “back to school” haircuts. Please use the link provided to learn more and sign up to provide free haircuts in your own shop when it is convenient for you.

This is the link: https://forms.gle/zdUUfs8hkwxnxC5N8

Early next week, we will provide parents a one page resource guide of all the barbers and stylists who signed up to provide hair cuts including availability, location, and times the pros are available. #LionPride!

⚠️ A few important safety reminders as we approach the start of a new school year:

- Please be aware of school speed zones and follow limits. Speed limits in these zones are set by the NYS Department of Transportation and enforced by local law enforcement.
- Be aware of all surroundings and watch out for students at bus stops, in crosswalks, and on bikes.
- Look both ways when entering and exiting parking lots, and follow district procedures for drop off and pick up at each building.
- You MUST stop for a school bus when it is stopped with flashing lights on.

By following these procedures, we hope to keep our students happy, safe, and full of #LionPride!

Good Morning,
In recognition of Patriot Day and the 2,997 individuals who perished in the Terrorist Attacks on 9/11 as well as those who lost their life in the World Trade Center bombing in 1993, all schools in the Dryden Central School District will observe a moment of silence on September 11, 2025.

This practice is consistent with the practice in public schools across NYS as well as consistent with state law since 2019. The District recognizes the many ways that the September 11 Attacks have impacted individuals, families, our state and our country. In recognition of this, the District would like to share with you the words that will be read to students and staff immediately before the moment of silence.

The following will be announced in all schools prior to the moment of silence:

In recognition of Patriot Day, the Dryden Central School District will take a moment to think quietly about the people and their families who were directly impacted by the events on September 11, 2001 as well as the first responders and military service members who sacrificed so much in the minutes, days, and years following the events 24 years ago today in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, New York, New York and Arlington, Virginia.

We fully recognize that our youngest students are not developmentally able to understand the context of the moment of silence, nor is it appropriate to discuss the details of the day's events with our youngest students; however, the District feels strongly that it is important to observe a day that changed our nation while also demonstrating our resiliency, our compassion, and our strength as a people and a country.

Please take care of yourself. Take care of each other. Always...#LionPride!

Hey! Hey! #LionPride! First Day Boards are here! You know the drill. Print out this template or create your very own First Day Board and send us your best pic holding your board and we will post it to our social media platforms so everyone can see you are ready for the year. You can send your picture with your First Day Board to pr@dryden.k12.ny.us anytime between now and the end of the first week of school! Take care of yourself. Take care of each other. Always, #LionPride! 2026-2027 First Day Board #LionPride! .pdf

With just a couple of weeks left until the start of school, the Class of 2027 is ready to ROAR!
Some seniors gathered together to paint their parking spots for the upcoming year! 🦁
#LionPride!

Parents and their children ages 6-10 are invited to join us on Tuesday evenings from 5-7pm, September 15 through November 3 at the High School for free parent-child communication classes!
Dinner is included and childcare is available upon request. Learn more and sign up at: CCETompkins.org/family
#LionPride! 💜

Families, We apologize for the follow up message. The previous message indicated the wrong deadline for photo opt out letters. We apologize. The actual due date is 9/1/2026. We apologize for the confusion! #LionPride!

Families: Please see the following regarding: Dryden Central School District’s Photo Release Protocol This information is also available on the district's website by clicking on "resources" on the main page, and then "parent resources" and then click on the last link in the bulleted list title "Photo Release Protocol". It is the Dryden Central School District’s desire to share the achievements and recognition earned by students and staff with the broader community. This effort can be aided by the use of photos showing students involved in classroom and school-related activities. Throughout the year, the Public Relations Department and Dryden staff may take photographs and video footage of students as they participate in academic, artistic, athletic or other school activities. These photographs and videos may appear in various Dryden materials disseminated to the public, including yearbooks, the Dryden website (www.dryden.k12.ny.us), newsletters,press releases, brochures, social media pages, calendars, newspapers, and otherchannels deemed appropriate by the Dryden Central School District. We, at times, may also publicize student work. If you DO NOT want your child’s name/photo/work publicized for these purposes, you are asked to inform your child’s principal, in writing, by the end of the school day on Monday, September 20, 2026. A simple, written, signed note stating: Please do not photograph my child for use in publications and/or web, including your child’s name and grade level. Your note may be either dropped off in person or mailed to the building principal. Please note: If you choose to “opt-out” and provide a note for your child(ren) not to be photographed, your child(ren)’s accomplishments will not be showcased in any form. This includes all extracurricular activities and performances. If you have any questions regarding this student photograph practice, please feel to contact your child's principal . Please take care of yourself. Take care of each other. Always...#LionPride!