DMS Delivers

Dear DMS Families,

As we move into next week, we will be entering our last full week of school for November. It is hard to believe that when we return from Thanksgiving break, it will already be December. As a reminder, school will be closed beginning with a half day on Wednesday, November 27th, and we will resume on Monday, December 2nd.

Upon our return from that break, we will have Parent Conferences taking place on Wednesday, December 4th and Thursday, December 5th. Further information regarding Parent Conferences will be coming out in next week's DMS Delivers. As we approach the end of the trimester, we have also been reminding students that they should be checking in with their teachers to make sure that they are caught up in each subject area. Please be aware that report cards will be available through Aspen Parent Portal in early December. If you need support in accessing the portal, please be sure to reach out to the DMS Main Office prior to the day of Report Cards.

Below you will also find important information on the Sandy Hook Promise's Start with Hello assemblies. Students in grades 6-8 will participate in the assembly on Thursday, December 12th. Start with Hello is "...a prevention program that teaches children and teens how to be more socially inclusive and connected to each other." If you would like further details, please see the flier below, as well as the link to the website.

Also, as we move through November, please consider supporting the Dighton PTO in any one of the below events that are being advertised. The PTO is currently hosting a November Fundraiser for DMS, as well as looking for volunteers for their annual Secret Santa Workshop in December. If you would like to make a monetary donation to the fundraiser, students can turn it in to their homeroom teachers, who will turn them in to the main office. For the Secret Santa event, the PTO is looking for both adult and student volunteers. There is further information below, and a separate email went home yesterday to grades 7 and 8 families regarding student volunteers.

Below, you will also find further information on ordering a DMS Yearbook, the Rehoboth Community Blood Drive, DRRHS Theater Auditions and DMS holiday assistance, as well as information on the middle level Athletic Cap, the December SEPAC meeting, and the DMS/Feinstein Food Drive.

Please also find the November Wellness Newsletter here, and information on the Wellness Cookbook here.

Have a great weekend!

• November 15th: DMS Book Fair Family Night 4:00- 6:00 p.m.
• November 18th: DMS School Council Meeting
• November 26th: School Committee Meeting at 6:30 p.m.
• November 27th: Early Release- Thanksgiving
• December 2nd: DR SEPAC Meeting
• December 3rd: Trimester I Ends
• December 4th: Parent Conferences 5:30- 8:00 p.m.
• December 5th: Parent Conferences- Early Release
• December 6th: Trimester I Report Cards
• December 10th: School Committee Meeting at 6:30 p.m.
• December 12th: Start with Hello Assembly- Grades 6, 7, 8
• December 16th: Chorus Concert at 6:00 p.m.
• December 17th: Band Concert at 6:00 p.m.
• December 20th: Early Release at 11:35

As we start to move into the holiday season, we are reaching out to all families regarding holiday assistance. Please be sure to let us know if your family could benefit from any food assistance around the holidays by completing this form no later than November 20th for Thanksgiving assistance and December 13th for December holiday assistance. All requests for assistance will be kept confidential.

Please use this link to register.

As a district, we have discussed the idea of implementing an Athletic Cap for middle level athletics, as has been the case at DRRHS over the years. Therefore, if your child participates in our three seasons of sports, the below will be in place for the 2024- 2025 school year.

Individual Athletic Cap: $550 per student

Family Athletic Cap: $1,000 per family

Please be advised that this does not pertain to after school ACE clubs, as those activities are self- funded. In addition, the Athletic Caps are subject to change moving into future school years.

Dear Families,

We hope this message finds you well. As part of our commitment to maintaining our technology resources, we wanted to inform you about our updated repair fee structure. This will go into effect on October 28, 2024. These fees help us cover the cost of repairs when school-issued devices are damaged due to misuse or carelessness. The fees are divided into three tiers, depending on the extent of the damage:

• Level 1: Charger, Cover (top or bottom), Touchpad, etc- $40
• Level 2: Keyboard, Monitor- $75
• Level 3: Total Loss/Replacement- $300

We encourage students to handle their devices with care to avoid any damage and the associated costs. If a device does require repair, the appropriate fee will be communicated to you along with the steps to resolve the issue.

Thank you for your understanding and continued support in keeping our technology in great condition!

In addition, if your child needs Chromebook repairs, you will receive an email directly from mySchoolBucks regarding payment.

Old Colony Habitat for Humanity is excited to announce that the application for our next home at 5 Chester Court in Taunton is OPEN!

Old Colony Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit organization that helps families build and improve places to call home. We believe affordable housing plays a critical role in strong and stable communities. We service 24 communities in Norfolk & Bristol counties (Assonet, Attleboro, Bellingham, Berkley, Dighton, East Freetown, Fall River, Foxboro, Franklin, Mansfield, Medfield, Medway, Millis, Norfolk, North Attleboro, Norton, Plainville, Raynham, Rehoboth, Seekonk, Somerset, Swansea, Taunton, Wrentham) and applicants must live or work in one of these towns. Our mission is to build homes, communities, and hope, as everyone deserves a safe and decent place to live. You will find more info here: https://oldcolonyhabitat.org/home-ownership/

In order to qualify for our homeowner program, applicants must (a) have a need for safe and decent housing; (b) have lived or worked in our service area for at least a year; (c) attend homeownership / financial management seminars at our offices; (d) meet the HUD median income guidelines; (e) have secure employment, good credit, legal residency, no felony convictions, and no more than one misdemeanor; (f) be able to pay a down payment; (g) demonstrate an ability to pay a mortgage on time, in full, each month; (h) willing to partner with Old Colony Habitat for Humanity by completing the required sweat equity. The requirement is 250 hours of sweat equity hours.

A Habitat partnership may be the solution for your family, if:

• You are able to make housing, taxes, and insurance payments
• Your maximum household income does not exceed 80% of the area median income
• You are unable to qualify for conventional mortgage financing for a market rate home
• You are a first-time home buyer (some exceptions may apply)
• You are a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident
• Your Household meets the income and asset limits

There are initial requirements for the application process. In order to determine eligibility, individuals should fill out this Google Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1mpz28pKlwk4ZjFoj9aekNHJ-uQYmlNWZ_xXufPvd0U0/edit?pli=1 .If the potential applicant qualifies, an application will be sent. The application deadline is Friday, December 6, 2024, at 5PM.

Please contact family@oldcolonyhabitat.org for any questions.