WHOOP WHOOP!!! What other district gets to post TWO “Find Your People” celebrations in one week?! The Swedes do! 📸🙌
🔵 Brynn and June were feeling a little dotty at recess! They found their people between all the fun outside.
💙 Grayson, Brooklyn, and Jayten brought the blues on a beautiful day—and we’re talking outfits, not moods!
🎶 Ava, Tess, and Emersyn let their JAM lead the way! When you find your people, you’ve got to strike a pose.
🩷 Mr. Eshelman and Mr. Neels know pink is always a good choice for Wednesday! These two understood the assignment.
💚 Mrs. Stienike and Mrs. McKenna shared a seat and some good energy while collaborating on ways to support students. Finding your people makes the work even better!
☀️ Miss Bartlett, Brynleigh, Kennlye, and Mrs. Fiene brought the sunshine to the halls of GPS! This crew made matching look like a whole lot of fun.
💪 Mrs. Andres and Lola didn’t let a bum arm get in the way of learning—or finding their people!
🩷 Brinlye, Boston, Mr. E, and Brinleigh let their pink auras do the talking! Four Swedes, one color, and plenty of personality.
Thank you for another AMAZING week of “Find Your People!” You showed up, found your matches, and gave us so much to celebrate that one post couldn’t hold it all!
OK, SWEDES!!! You showed up in a BIG way this week! So many of you found your people that we’re making this a two-part celebration! 📸
🩷 Mrs. Block and Mrs. Mroczek brought their teaching energy and love of pink to the hallways of GPS. Great minds think alike—and apparently dress alike, too!
⭐ The Seitsinger family showed up in matching outfits to support the STARS program! We love seeing a whole family come together for their people.
🩷 RJ and Mr. Hamilton were feeling pink this week! These two brought a little extra color to the hallways and gave us another great match.
💚🖤 Mrs. Stienike and Mrs. Ostendorf welcomed fall in black and green. Their matching colors fit right in with Swede spirit!
✌️ Miss Kennicutt and Ms. Foster found their people in 2nd grade attire! When your outfits match your grade-level pride, you have to stop for a picture.
🧥 Mrs. McKenna and Quintin brought the tough looks in their leather! They found their people and struck a pose to prove it.
🍎 Mrs. Rahjes and Mrs. Schwanz matched while showing their love for all things teaching. These two made teacher style part of the fun!
🐆 Lexi and Mrs. Higgins showed off their wild side in science class! Their matching look made for a fun classroom find.
✨ Miss Bartlett and Mrs. Fiene were loving life in 6th grade. These two found a reason to smile and celebrate their match!
THIS is how the OG Swedes do “Find Your People!” And we’re only getting started—stay tuned for Part 2! 💚💛
Our students and staff were seeing double all over GPS this week! From matching outfits to shared team spirit, our Swedes definitely understood the assignment! 💛💚
😎 Mrs. Rahjes and Karter found their people with matching oversized sunglasses. These two are clearly too cool for school!
🤎 Karter and Connor arrived in matching brown shirts and instantly found their people. Their perfectly coordinated neutral style proves that great minds—and great friends—dress alike!
🏈 Mrs. Rahjes and Beau showed their Kansas City Chiefs pride in matching #87 Travis Kelce jerseys. They look ready to cheer the Chiefs all the way to another victory!
🏟️ Harper and Dawson showed off their Swede pride in matching football shirts. These teammates are already bringing plenty of school spirit to the halls of GPS!
🩷 Mrs. Rush and Mrs. McKenna coordinated in pastel pants and matching neutral tops. Their soft colors and matching lanyards made this pairing picture-perfect!
👖 Miss Kennicutt and Mrs. McKenna matched in denim layered over black shirts. From their outfits to their black lanyards and coordinating shoes, these two took matching to the next level!
We love watching our students and staff connect, have fun, and Find Their People each week. We can’t wait to see who finds each other next Wednesday!
A Friendly Reminder About Drop Off/Pick Up, Bike, Scooter, and E-Scooter Safety
With the beginning of the school year and the beautiful weather, we're seeing more and more of our students riding their bikes, kick scooters, and e-scooters to school. It's a fantastic way to get fresh air and active travel time!
However, we've had some concerns regarding students riding in the middle of the road, swerving, and managing the higher speeds of e-scooters. Let's all work together to make sure our young riders stay safe and respectful of others. Please take a moment to review these important safety tips with your child:
Obey the Rules of the Road: Remind students to stop fully at stop signs, yield to pedestrians, and always ride on the right side of the road with the flow of traffic.
Helmets: A properly fitted helmet is important (not required) for all riders, whether they are on a bike, kick scooter, or e-scooter.
Control Your Speed & Ride Predictably: Swerving or weaving between cars and pedestrians causes confusion and leads to accidents. E-scooter riders should pay extra attention to maintaining a safe, controlled speed—especially near crosswalks and crowded sidewalks.
Be Visible: Bright colors, reflective gear, and active lights make a massive difference during early morning commutes.
Dismount at School Crossings: For safety on busy campus sidewalks, scooters and bikes should be walked once arriving on school grounds and at designated crosswalks.
We appreciate your partnership in keeping all of our Dudley Elementary students safe on their way to and from school. Have a wonderful week!
~Mrs. Floyd, Dudley Elementary Principal
Apparently, great minds really do dress alike—and this week, our Swedes definitely understood the assignment!
🌸 Florals found florals! Mrs. Gamblin and Mrs. Stienike were looking fabulous—and smelling like roses!
🩷 Pink found pink…and then invited the whole crew! Mrs. Floyd, Mrs. McKenna, and Mrs. Stevens were styling in their pinks, while Ally, Mr. Neels, Brinlye, and Miss Garza were positively popping in pink!
💚 Matching green hoodies made for an instant team! Maverick and Clyde were looking cool, coordinated, and ready for the day!
⚫ Polka dots connected generations! Blake and Mrs. Floyd proved that this classic pattern never goes out of style!
📻 Swedes just wanna have fun! Mrs. Larson and Jaron brought the matching shirts, hilarious poses, big personalities, and some serious ’80s energy!
Whether they matched colors, patterns, school spirit, or simply a love of having fun, our students and staff found their people all over GPS!
Keep watching the hallways—you never know when your outfit twin might appear! 👯♀️📸
✨ “Find Your People” is back for another week! ✨
Our staff and students found their people all over GPS—with matching colors, patterns, and plenty of personality! As always, our Swede Family showed up looking amazing! 💙💛
💚 Mrs. Fiene and Mrs. McKenna rocked green pants and striped tops. Clearly, great style knows no age!
🌿 Can you even see how hard Ms. Holt and Miss Kate are working? They’re staying under the radar in their camo!
🩷 Mrs. Wieseler, Grayli, and Mr. Neels proudly brought the pink to the halls of GPS!
🏀 Baxter and Dax teamed up as two of the best sixth-grade ballers around!
🎸 Max and Mrs. Malcom brought major concert vibes to the halls of GPS!
What a busy—and beautifully coordinated—week! We can’t wait to see who finds their people next Wednesday! 📸
Link: https://402ink.printavo.com/merch/swedes26
Kicking off the year are two of our favorite people: Gwen Gundell and Jacy Ostergard! These two fabulous ladies bring the stripes, the smiles, and the positive energy everywhere they go! 🖤🤍
We couldn’t ask for a better pair to help us start the year off on the right foot—although their matching outfits suggest they may have started on the same foot! 😂
#FindYourPeople #SwedeStyle #SeeingStripes #SwedeNation
Special thanks to our panel of speakers—Will Rahjes, Mrs. Higgens, and Beck Groene—for sharing real-life insights about their first jobs, saving and spending habits, funny impulse purchases they regretted, and what they're saving for today.
The financial fun doesn't stop there: our 6th graders were also introduced to this year's Swede Branch Bank Teller opportunity!
📌 Important Details:
Applications: Distributed today
Due Date: Friday, September 4th
Interviews: EVERY student who submits an application will get an interview!
What an incredible leadership opportunity for our Dudley students!
Every minute at school counts @ Dudley!
Arriving on time helps our students kick off their morning with confidence, build connections with friends, and dive into learning without missing a beat.
Key Morning Schedule:
7:55 AM – Doors Open: Students can come on in, fuel up, and settle in for the day.
8:05 AM – Tardy Bell Rings: Class begins!
Why Being On Time Matters:
When students arrive before the 8:05 AM bell, they are set up for success:
Fuel Body & Brain: Time to enjoy brunch and get ready to focus.
Feel Organized: Unpack and start the day calmly instead of rushing.
Connect: Catch up with classmates and build positive social habits.
Maximize Learning: Stay present for important morning instruction and activities.
Link: https://bit.ly/4cLMCuz
It is Swede Activity Time - Please check out our Dudley Activity Expectations
The first couple of days have been great with students doing an excellent job of practicing our school-wide expectations.
As we get ready for Gothenburg's fall sports, please take a moment to review the ACTIVITY expectations with your child. Let's show our Swede Pride and positive sportsmanship at all events!
A quick reminder for football games: students are welcome to sit with an adult or in the grandstands above the high school student section. Please note that playing on the practice field or in other areas is not permitted. We want all of our students watching and cheering on our Swedes!
1,000 BOOKS.......
Huge shoutout to Baylor Haake for completing the 1,000 Books Before The End of Kindergarten Challenge!
With help from Mom, Dad, and big sister Harper, Baylor read 1,000 books—and especially loved looking at all the pictures along the way! To celebrate, he picked out 10 new books from Mrs. Floyd's Office, including one from the TeamMates Vending Machine!
Way to go, Baylor! We are so proud of you and hope you continue your love of reading!
Our staff had a busy and productive first day back yesterday! We kicked off the year with professional development focused on celebrating excellence—recognizing the incredible work happening across Gothenburg Public Schools and thinking about how we continue to build on that excellence together.
Today, our teachers are focused on transition meetings, working collaboratively to understand and support the individual needs of each student as we prepare to welcome them back.
We are so fortunate to have a team that spends these days focused on one thing: providing the best possible environment for students. ❤️💙
The halls are getting louder, the excitement is building, and we can't wait to have our students back on Wednesday, August 19th! Here's to another great year, Swedes! 🎉📚
On March 16th, our K–6th grade students gathered in the PAC for an epic kickoff assembly featuring some special high school guest stars playing characters from Brambleheart by Henry Cole! 🎭 Every student and staff member walked away with their very own copy of the book and a reading schedule to follow at home with their families.
Inspired by Twig’s journey and the story’s suspenseful twists, our creative students even built their own inventions using recycled materials to earn the sequel, Bayberry Island! 🛠️🌱
There is nothing quite like the magic of an entire school and community reading the exact same story together. This initiative built stronger family literacy habits, sparked creative thinking, and united our Dudley family around the joy of reading. Thank you to the John Russell Applegate Grant for making this marvelous journey possible! 📖
