Dalton Public Schools -

The DaltonReads! giveaway last week was a blast — thank you to everyone who came out and made it special! We loved sharing the joy of reading with you.

📍 Catch us again this week: Thursday, July 17
🕦 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM
📍 Veterans Park (901 Veterans Drive)

Come grab some free books and keep those summer reading vibes going! #DaltonReads

It’s officially Senior Spotlight season, and we couldn’t be more proud to shine a light on some of our recent graduates!

Today we’re featuring Dalton High School graduate, Natalia Rodriguez.

At Dalton High School Natalia participated in Varsity Soccer , Varsity Cheer , Varsity Softball , Student Council , National Honor Society, and Pep Club. Her greatest accomplishments from high school include receiving the UGA Merit Award, making 4a all region team for game day varsity team, being named as a scholar athlete all four years, and assisting in a region win on the Varsity Soccer team. Natalia plans to continue her education at Dalton State, seeking an Engineering major with a Criminal Justice minor.

Way to go!

On Thursday, July 10th, the Rising Pre-K and Kindergarten Summer Transition Program hosted its annual STEM Family Workshop, bringing together students and families for an afternoon of hands-on science, technology, engineering, and math fun!

This year’s theme Tinker, Test, and Learn brought the joy of discovery alive through six interactive learning stations designed to build foundational math and science skills in a playful, memorable way. From designing rockets to blowing the perfect bubble, each activity encouraged creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration.

It’s officially Senior Spotlight season, and we couldn’t be more proud to shine a light on some of our recent graduates!

Today we’re featuring Dalton High School graduate, Hope Hambrock.

As a Dalton High School student Hope was the Vice President of DHS's National Honor Society and served on the Board of Directors for L'Abri Symphony Orchestra. Hope played varsity lacrosse, flute in the band's top ensemble, synthesizer in marching band, and violin in the mariachi band. She was also a part of the United Way Youth Council, the Interact Club, and served on the worship team and children's ministry for her church. Hope is proud to have been named a Georgia Scholar, a National Merit Scholar, and an AP Scholar with Distinction. Hope was also selected as the first student to play with the professional orchestra at the GA HS Musical Theater Awards, made District Honor Band on flute three times, and was a three-time All-State finalist for violin. She also received the award for DHS's highest ACT score. In the fall Hope will be attending the University of Georgia with plans to explore career options in the sciences.

Way to go!

It’s officially Senior Spotlight season, and we couldn’t be more proud to shine a light on some of our recent graduates!

Today we’re featuring The Dalton Academy graduate, Larry Bautista

As a student at The Dalton Academy Larry was an active member of the Translation Academy which provided him with a variety of opportunities to serve as a translator in the community. Through the Translation Academy he volunteered with the Latin American Association, Dalton Public Schools PreK Registration, Mohawk Mentor Program, and at the Mack Gaston Community Center for certain bilingual events. Larry is most proud of having gotten to volunteer and give back to the Dalton community. He plans to continue his education at Dalton State College where he will study Information Technology.

Way to go!

It’s officially Senior Spotlight season, and we couldn’t be more proud to shine a light on some of our recent graduates!

Today we’re featuring Dalton High School graduate, Diana Lopez-Jacobo

Diana was an active participant in Girls Wrestling, Beta Club, National Honor society, Interact Club, the Hope program, and the Marching Band while at Dalton High School. Her greatest achievements as a DHS student include being an all A’s student with a 3.9 GPA, being selected as a visual captain and section leader in Marching band for two years in a row, and reaching her goal of 100 community service hours. Diana plans to continue her education in college, studying diagnostic medical sonography..

Way to go!

It’s officially Senior Spotlight season, and we couldn’t be more proud to shine a light on some of our recent graduates!

Today we’re featuring Dalton High School graduate, Emely Torres.

At Dalton High School Emely was active in the Interact Club, National Honors Society, Fine Arts Academy, and the Marching Band. She is most proud of having been one of the Marching Band drum majors during her last 2 years at DHS. She plans to attend Dalton State College to study radiology with the aim of becoming a radiological technician.

Way to go!

It’s officially Senior Spotlight season, and we couldn’t be more proud to shine a light on some of our recent graduates!

Today we’re featuring The Dalton Academy graduate, Liyan Alhijazi .

Liyan participated in FCCLA, Student Council, Work Base Learning, HOSA, and Dual Enrollment while at The Dalton Academy. Her greatest achievements in high school include passing all of her classes, being able to do Dual Enrollment her senior year, and being inducted into the National Honor Society. Liyan is excited to continue her education in college.

Way to go!

The Rising Pre-K and Kindergarten Summer Transition Program recently hosted its first annual Magical Math Family Workshop, inviting students and families to explore the joy of numeracy through hands-on learning stations.

This year’s theme, “A Bug’s Life,” brought together the excitement of math and science as students worked through six engaging stations that combined counting, problem-solving, and insect-themed fun! From plastic spiders and web mats to fly swatters and dice games, every activity was designed to spark curiosity and build foundational math skills in a playful, memorable way.

Families rotated through stations including:

Roll, Find, and Stamp – practicing number recognition and fine motor skills
Race to Fill – counting and comparing using dice, cups, and pom-poms
How Many Bugs Am I Hiding? – building estimation and early addition skills
Subitizing Cups – recognizing quantities quickly using dot stickers and patterns
Smack the Bug Counting Game – developing number fluency with a fun twist
Collecting Bugs – exploring preschool-level addition with bugs and butterflies

It was a fantastic afternoon of math, movement, and memory-making for our young learners and their families

It’s officially Senior Spotlight season, and we couldn’t be more proud to shine a light on some of our recent graduates! Today we’re featuring Dalton High School graduate, Andrew Berry. As a Dalton High School student Andrew was active on the Lacrosse team, serving as a team captain. He is proud of having maintained a 4.0 GPA while staying active in his role on the lacrosse team. Andrew is excited to be attending Clemson University in the Fall where he will be majoring in Packaging Science. Way to go!

We’ll be closed July 3rd–4th to celebrate Independence Day. Wishing everyone a safe and happy holiday!

It’s officially Senior Spotlight season, and we couldn’t be more proud to shine a light on some of our recent graduates! Today we’re featuring Dalton High School graduate, Ellis Stephens. Ellis served as the Historian for the DHS Player’s Drama club for his Junior and Senior year, was an active member and the videographer for the Catamount Singers choir, and was the teen representative for the Board of Directors at the Dalton Little Theatre. He is proud of having been named the One Act competition Region 7-4A Best Actor in 2024, Region 7-5A Best Actor in 2023, having attended the Governor’s Honors Program for theatre, being featured in the Georgia Thespian Final Showcase in 2023, having had his films featured in the Thescon Film Festival all four years of High School, winning the Class 4A State Championship in 2025 for dramatic interpretation at the State Literary Championships, and of having been inducted into the National Honor Society. Outside of Dalton High School he is proud to have received three Dalton Little Theatre Billy Awards for Best Youth Performer (2023), Best Youth Actor (2024) and Best Special Production (2024.) He also wrote an original musical called "Click," with his friend Lilli Sharp that was performed at the Dalton Little Theatre for which sold out both evenings of its run. In the fall Ellis will be attending Marymount Manhattan as part of both their musical theatre and writing programs. Way to go!

PEACH TAX CREDIT PROGRAM: Looking to support education and save on taxes? Learn how you can benefit from the Peach Tax Credit program with Dalton Public Schools! Visit https://www.daltonpublicschools.com/page/peach-education-tax-credit for more details!

We’ve got exciting news for our athletics families! Starting July 1, all team communication—like schedules, practice updates, and coach messages—will happen on the Stack Team App! This app is just for athletics, and it’s the new official way to stay in the loop with your child’s teams. 💡 Important: Simply downloading the app won’t get you all the updates—you’ll need to search for and follow each team your child plays on to start receiving messages, schedules, and alerts. (You can follow more than one!) Ready to get started? 📲 iPhone: https://apps.apple.com/app/team-app/id625607532 📲 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.teamapp.teamapp Can’t Find Your Team? Some teams are still being added to the platform. If you’re not seeing your group listed yet: Double-check spelling in the search bar Ask your coach for the exact team name Or contact us for help at info@dalton.k12.ga.us Need help or more info? https://www.daltonpublicschools.com/page/athletics-communications Let’s get game-day ready—see you on Stack Team App!

Please note: The Enrollment Center will be closed for the entire week of July 4th and will reopen on Monday, July 7th.

It’s officially Senior Spotlight season, and we couldn’t be more proud to shine a light on some of our recent graduates! Today we’re featuring The Dalton Academy graduate, Naomi Lovo. Silvia’s greatest achievement in high school was being the first student at The Dalton Academy to be ranked first at DECA’s region competition, where she developed a passion for business and marketing. After High School she plans to study radiology at Dalton State College to become a sonographer. She also hopes to open a store for her business that sells custom shirts and decals. Way to go!

Kinsley Stephens Named Jimmy Awards Finalist DALTON, GA — Kinsley Stephens, a recent graduate of Dalton High School, made her Broadway debut in New York City on Monday, June 23rd in the annual Jimmy Awards National High School Musical Theatre Awards program where she was selected as a finalist for Best Actress. Kinsley was joined by Hayden Poe, another Dalton High School graduate, who was returning to the Jimmy Awards this year, having attended the event last year as well. The two Dalton High graduates participated in the Jimmy Awards as the representatives of the Georgia High School Musical Theatre Awards, which saw participation from 75 different schools in their 2024-2025 competition season. Read more! https://www.daltonpublicschools.com/article/2283490

Summer Renovation Spotlight: DaltonReads! Van is Rolling Out! Our summer spotlight continues—not just on building upgrades, but on projects that bring our mission beyond the classroom! We're excited to share that the DaltonReads! van project is officially complete and already making a big impact. This beautifully renovated van is now traveling across the community all summer long, handing out free books to children and families. It's part of our commitment to literacy and keeping students engaged even when school’s out. Keep an eye out—the DaltonReads! van may be rolling into your neighborhood soon!

Summer Meals Are Here! Dalton Public Schools is proud to offer free lunches for all children 18 and under through our 2025 Summer Nutrition Program, running now through July 24. No registration, no cost—just healthy meals to keep our kids fueled all summer long! 📍 Please Note: The Roan Street meal site has moved this summer due to construction. Families should now pick up meals at the back of the school in the bus drop-off area. The usual front location is not in use this year. 🕦 All site times and locations are listed in the graphic below. 🔗 For more details, visit: https://www.daltonpublicschools.com/o/dps/page/summer-feeding-program Let’s make it a healthy, happy summer together!

Summer Reading Check-In! We loved seeing what you’ve been reading—keep it going, Dalton! Whether you’re on your third novel or just cracking open your first, we want to hear all about it. Tell us: Where and what are you reading? #DaltonReads Need a fresh stack of stories? We’ve got you covered! 📍 Westwood School 🗓 Thursday, June 26 🕦 11:30 AM 🎉 FREE books for all ages at our next DaltonReads! Summer Book Giveaway Comment a photo below – let’s keep turning those pages all summer long!