During the school year, you will receive letters and email communications from your child's division head and teachers. Emergency communications, such as notification of school closure due to inclement weather, will be delivered via phone call, text message, and email. Therefore, it is important that you let your division office know of any changes to your contact information, including your preferred email address. Please note, too, that in order to receive the emergency text message, you will need to "opt in" for SMS text messaging on the student information form you will receive over the summer.
Important announcements, parent resources, and links will also be posted to the Parent Portal on our website and in the Daily Spirit, our e-newsletter. You will start receiving the Daily Spirit email during the summer. If you do not receive the Daily Spirit, please contact your division office.
Phone numbers and email addresses for school divisions and key departments can be found here. Teacher email addresses can be found here by division.
We also invite you to follow us on our social media sites:
A link to the school calendar can be found on the top right of the menu bar on our website. While the default setting will display all school events, you may search events to display by division or department. You also have the option to adjust the calendar settings from monthly to daily view.
Core courses for the 2024-25 school year will be scheduled during the summer as the division heads review student files. Students in grades 6-12 also have elective courses that are scheduled according to student preferences. New students should expect to be contacted by their division head during the summer with information about course selection. If you have not received a communication by July 1, please contact your division office.
All new and returning K-12 students will have summer reading assignments, and all new and returning 6th-12th grade students will have summer math work to complete prior to the start of school. Although new fifth grade students are not required to complete summer math assignments, they are encouraged to review math facts and math concepts from the previous school year. Links to summer reading and summer math assignments will be posted in May.
All students entering Middle and Upper School should plan to attend a technology training session prior to the first day of school. During this training, students will review the Acceptable Use Policy and explore the basics of the MacBook and Google Drive. The dates for the 2024 summer tech training will be posted later this spring, and a link to sign up for a tech training session will be sent to new families over the summer. Those who do not sign up for summer training will be required to stay after school on the first day of school to complete their training. Students will not receive a MacBook until the training is completed.
Thanks to a partnership with Ochsner Medical Center, we have a full-time nurse on staff who oversees our health and wellness program. In compliance with current government HIPPA regulations, student medical records and medications are stored securely in the nurse's office. In addition, in compliance with Louisiana state law, all medications, including over-the-counter items such as Tylenol and Advil, must have a doctor's signature to be administered at school. If you have any questions about our health and wellness procedures, please contact our school nurse, Connie Jenkins.
Immunization Records
All new students are required to submit their immunization records to their division office via email or in a sealed envelope prior to the start of school.
Student Health Information
Prior to the start of the school year, parents will be contacted by their child's division office to complete the required student health information form electronically through PowerSchool, our student information system. Parents of students who take prescription or over the counter medication during the school day will also need to submit the following forms:
State of Louisiana Medication Order and Parental Consent Form
Prescription medication that needs to be administered at school must be accompanied by this form signed by a primary care physician along with the parental consent form (found on page two). Students who do not take prescription medication at school do not need to submit this form. If medication is prescribed during the school year that needs to be administered by our school nurse, the form will need to be filled out and submitted at that time. Prescribed medications are to be brought in the prescription bottle with the prescription label and signed in by a parent or legal guardian in the nurse's office. Medication policies do not permit students to bring medications to school or deliver them to the nurses's office.
Over the Counter Medication Authorization
Dunham provides limited over the counter medications that can be administered to Middle and Upper School students when this authorization form has been signed by both a parent or legal guardian and a primary care provider. A new authorization form does not need to be submitted each year unless the student's medical status has changed.
Our Middle School program focuses on installing the techniques and strategies for each sport that will be used at the Upper School level, all the while trying to point our young people to Christ. Our teams participate in different leagues, and most of the competitions take place on weeknights. Middle School students may sign up for fall teams here. Please note that all participants must be cleared by a medical professional and submit the required athletic forms (noted below).If you have questions, please email Middle School Athletic Director Matt Smith.
2024-2025 Middle School Sports Offerings
(FALL) Cross-Country - Boys & Girls
(FALL) Swimming - Boys & Girls
(FALL) Softball - Girls
(FALL) Football - Boys
(WINTER) Basketball - Boys & Girls
(WINTER) Soccer - Boys & Girls
(WINTER) Wrestling - Boys
(SPRING) Volleyball - Girls
(SPRING) Track & Field - Boys & Girls
All of our Upper School teams are sanctioned by the Louisiana High School Athletic Association (LHSAA). Every student-athlete will be registered with the LHSAA and must be eligible to participate in competition. There are several rules involving eligibility, including academics and residency. If you have any questions regarding eligibility rules or about Upper School athletics, please contact Athletic Director Neil Weiner. To sign up for a team, please email the head coach listed below for each sport. Please note that all participants must be cleared by a medical professional and submit the required athletic forms (as noted below).
2024-2025 Upper School Sports Offerings
(FALL) Cross-Country - Boys & Girls; Coach Aaron Nasers
(FALL) Swimming - Boys & Girls; Coach Hilary Morris
(FALL) Volleyball - Girls; Coach Meagan Herrington
(FALL) Football - Boys; Coach Neil Weiner
(WINTER) Basketball - Boys & Girls Coach Chad Myers (boys); Coach Hilary Morris (girls)
(WINTER) Powerlifting - Boys & Girls; Coach Chris Lopiparo
(WINTER) Soccer - Boys & Girls; Coach Dan Hawkins (boys); Coach Stanley Johnson (girls)
(WINTER) Wrestling - Boys; Coach Brad Goudeau
(SPRING) Softball - Girls; Coach Jeff Hand
(SPRING) Baseball - Boys; Coach Wes Theriot
(SPRING) Golf - Boys & Girls; Coach Calob Leindecker (boys); Coach Teddi Page (girls)
(SPRING) Tennis - Boys & Girls; Coach Chad Myers
(SPRING) Track & Field - Boys & Girls; Coach Aaron Nasers
Middle and Upper School students who plan to participate in team sports next year must turn in the required athletic forms. Upper School athletes must submit both the Upper School LHSAA Packet (first-time participants only) and the Annual Dunham Athletics Medical Packet (sports physical required). Middle School athletes are only required to turn in the completed Annual Dunham Athletics Medical Packet (sports physical required). If you have any questions about Dunham Athletics, please contact Athletic Director Neil Weiner.
Annual Dunham Athletics Medical Packet
Upper School LHSAA Athletic Packet (first-time Upper School participants only)
All Dunham students wear uniforms purchased through School Uniforms by Tommy Hilfiger. There are also a few approved items available in our Tiger Roar Spirit Store located in the Middle School Gym. Each division has guidelines for regular "daily dress" as well as required chapel or "formal dress" (daily dress only for PK3 and PK4 students). Two-year olds in the Dunham Early Childhood Center do not wear uniforms. For more information, including divisional dress code charts, can be found here or on the Parent Portal.
The Dunham Parents Association's Used Uniform Sale will be held on Saturday, June 15, from 9:00-11:00 am, in the Middle School Gym. Please note that most of the items sold at the Used Uniform Sale will be our old uniform pieces that have been grandfathered in for the next two school years. Members of our Dunham Parents Association (DPA) will be present at the sale to assist you in making your selections.
Our summer opportunities include a traditional day camp as well as enrichment camps in arts, academics, athletics, STEM, and much more. Attending one or more of our summer camps is a great way for new students to meet teachers and peers and familiarize themselves with our campus. Please take a moment to review our summer schedule and sign up for camps and workshops they may be of interest. If you have any questions, please contact Bekah Myers.
Aftercare runs from 3:15-6:00 pm* each day school is in session and is available on a daily or drop-in basis. Our Aftercare Program serves children in PreK3-4th grade who are kept busy and entertained through indoor and outdoor play and educational activities led by our CPR-trained staff. Our Study Hall Program serves children in grades 5-8 with an extended period of time for homework or study. A variety of after school enrichment classes are offered each year. Students who are enrolled in Aftercare or Study Hall may sign up for enrichments and will be escorted to and from class by our staff. For more information, please visit our Aftercare & Enrichment page. If you have any questions, please contact Bekah Myers.
*Aftercare begins at 2:00 pm daily for PreK3, PreK4, and kindergarten students and at 3:30 pm for grades 5-8. If your child is in our new two-year-old program in the Dunham Early Childhood Center, please visit the ECC web page to learn more about your aftercare options.
Kindergarten-8th Grade Back-to-School parties will take place the last few weeks in July or the first week in August. If you have any questions, please contact Ashley Istre.
Back-to-School information will be sent to you from your division office during the summer. Please also be watching for an email from PowerSchool, our student information system, with all of the forms (health, carpool, family contact information, etc.) that must be completed in order for your child to start school in August. We kindly ask that you review the back-to-school information and submit any necessary forms by August 1. If you do not receive a communication by July 26, or if you have any questions, please contact your division office.
Mark your calendars for these important dates back-to-school dates:
ECC Teacher Meet & Greet
(for two-year-olds and their parents)
Wednesday, July 31
More information about this event will be sent to you during the summer.
New Student Orientation
(for new students entering grades 2-12 only)
Wednesday, August 7
More information about the new student orientation will be sent to you during the summer.
PreK/Kindergarten Home Visits
August 8, 9, and 12
Your child's teacher will contact you to schedule a convenient date and time.
1st Grade School Visits
August 8, 9, and 12
The times for these classroom visits will be posted during the summer.
First Day of School
Tuesday, August 1 (ECC/Two-year olds)
Thursday, August 8 (2nd-12th grade)
Tuesday, August 13 (PK3-1st Grade; half-day)
Upper School Back-to-School Night (parents only)
Tuesday, August 13; 6:30 pm; Brown-Holt Chapel Arts Center
Middle School Back-to-School Night (parents only)
Thursday, August 15; 6:30 pm; Brown-Holt Chapel Arts Center
ECC-1st Grade Parent Coffee
Friday, August 16; 8:30-9:30 am; Rollins Family Dining Hall
Lower School Back-to-School Night (parents only)
Tuesday, August 20; 6:30 pm; Brown-Holt Chapel Arts Center
