9/4/26 Weekly Newsletter

Good afternoon Dwyer Community! Here is this week's newsletter for your review. Have a great weekend and Go Jr. Oilers!

Dear Dwyer Families,

This is my first “official” newsletter for the 2026/27 school year! Each week I will do my best to highlight what happened during the week and preview the week ahead.  There may also be times where I will use this space to share thoughts on how we might be able to best partner together to support your student as well, after all, we are in this together!  

To begin, let me share a bit of my vision for the school year.  Our focus this year is “Better Each Day”.  I’ve shared this with our staff, our 6th graders at Destination Dwyer, and it has become a part of our announcements each day.  You see, I firmly believe in progress, not perfection.  I believe in steady growth over time, not unrealistic expectations that when unmet leave us feeling more defeated than when we started.  I believe that if we ALL (starting with me) were to aim to become 1% better each day, imagine where we may be by June 17th (the last day of school).  Some days we will succeed, some days we will not.  Each day is a fresh start.  What does “better” look like?  There are countless ways to answer that question.  Yet, I believe that if we focus on being “Better Each Day”, tangible growth will be achieved.   

 

Today was our Gratitude, Responsibility, Integrity, Tenacity (GRIT) Launch, which is our Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) program here at Dwyer. Students rotated throughout campus and focused on school-wide expectations. I've linked our Student Handbook to this message here, which also explains in more detail about our policies, procedures, and GRIT at Dwyer.

Speaking of Gratitude, THANK YOU to PTSA for providing lunch today to our teachers and staff yesterday!

  

I would also like to thank you ALL.  It is not lost on me the trust that you put into myself, our team of teachers and staff with your students each day.  Please know that we all have your students' best interest in mind and are committed to making this a successful year for ALL of our students. 

I appreciate your continued support in helping us make Dwyer a safe, welcoming, and positive environment for all students. Together, let’s make it an amazing year!

Let me conclude by saying what an honor it is to be the principal here at Dwyer!

Have a wonderful and restful Labor Day weekend and Go Jr. Oilers!

  

Respectfully, 

Mr. Okamoto

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Welcome to a brand-new school year! I'm thrilled to kick off another exciting year at Dwyer as your School Counselor.  I will  be supporting your amazing students as they grow, learn, and navigate the middle school journey. I'm here to support students with academic challenges, social concerns, emotional well-being, and any other issues that may affect their success at school. I provide a safe, confidential space where students can be heard and supported. Students can access me in the Wellness Center, putting a note in my confidential counseling mailbox or putting in a counseling referral on my Canvas page, Counselor’s Corner and or requesting to see me by asking a teacher or staff member.  I am here to support our students and you as parents!

Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have questions or concerns throughout the year. Communication between home and school is key to your child's success, and I'm always happy to talk.  Here is my counseling referral form if you would like to refer your child to me.

Here's to a wonderful year ahead!

Warmly,