Dunkirk City School District

10/20/2026

The Dunkirk City School District Special Education Team is happy to share ongoing resources for our families! Parent Network of WNY offers FREE workshops to help families better understand and navigate the special education process.

**Upcoming Workshop: Understanding the IEP Process**

📅 November 12, 2026
🕚 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
💻 Virtual via Zoom

Learn about the CSE process, the different sections of an IEP, and transition planning.

🔗 [Register for this FREE workshop](https://parentnetworkwny.org/events/what-is-an-individualized-education-program-iep-for-families-of-school-age-students-6/)

📞 716-332-4170 | 📧 [email protected]

We encourage our families to take advantage of these opportunities to build knowledge, ask questions, and strengthen their partnership with our schools!

10/19/2026

10/15/2026

Our Student Council has officially launched its own page! Be sure to give DHS Student Council Council a follow to stay up to date on upcoming events, activities, and pictures highlighting our students!

Wait… I thought this was a tropical vacation! Our students brought the beach vibes to school for spirit day!

10/13/2026

October is National Principals Month!

Before the first bell rings, our principals are outside welcoming their students. Throughout the day, you'll find them in classrooms and hallways, working alongside teachers and connecting with students. They solve problems, celebrate successes big and small, and make a point of checking in on the people who need it most, because our leaders know that strong schools are built on strong relationships.

Thank you to our building leaders, who show up every day, put the people of Dunkirk first, and never forget that education is about the students and families they serve.

When you see one of our leaders this month, please take a moment to thank them!

10/07/2026

New York State Inspires Portrait of a Graduate
Dear Dunkirk Families,

New York State is changing how it defines what it means to graduate ready for the future. As part of this work, the State has introduced a Portrait of a Graduate, a set of skills and qualities every student should have when they leave high school, from critical thinking and communication to character and civic responsibility.

Please take a few minutes to:

1. Read the linked memo, which explains the NYS Portrait of a Graduate and what it means for our students.

2. Complete our short survey which can be found at the bottom of the memo. The survey will close November 1st. Your input will help guide how we prepare our students for life after graduation, whether that is college, a career, the military, or another path.

We will continue to update the community as we move through the planning phase and when new information is shared from the New York State Education Department.

Thank you for your partnership.

Brian Swatland
Superintendent of Schools
Dunkirk City School District
[email protected]

Portrait of a Graduate Letter English-
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YdepXv0v2v3kswX2CvrWWDy9nh0IK9cu/view?usp=sharing

Portrait of a Graduate Letter Spanish -
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NibWUcGCouc1ELQWIGxHpq4NCURX5AFF/view?usp=sharing

10/06/2026

10/05/2026

We are proud to share that Mrs. Hooge from School 5 represented the Dunkirk City School District at the SUNY Buffalo State Hispanic Heritage Roundtable on September 30.

Held in recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month, the roundtable brought together SUNY leadership, community partners, K–12 educators and leaders, students, and other education professionals to discuss ways to strengthen pathways into bilingual education careers across Western New York.

We were honored to be invited to share our district’s perspective and experiences, including the needs of our multilingual learners, educator workforce needs, and opportunities to build stronger connections between K–12 schools and bilingual educator preparation programs.