Beckwith Bulletin

BMS Community,

This week marked both the start and conclusion of the MCAS Science tests, which are administered only to students in grades 5 and 8.

Today and tomorrow, three students (Jacob Rodrigues, Charlotte Amaral, and Korey Grant) are representing Beckwith at the South Eastern Massachusetts School Bandmasters Association (SEMSBA) Junior Music Festival, held at East Bridgewater Jr./Sr. High School.

In addition, several BMS students on the high school track team qualified for and are competing today in the MSTCA Division 5 State Relays in Byfield, Massachusetts.

Additionally, please note these important 8th grade dates:

• 8th Grade Canobie Lake Field Trip: June 12
• 8th Grade Dance: June 18
• 8th Grade Celebration Day: June 24
• 8th Grade Promotion Ceremony: June 25

We are still in the planning stages for these events. More details on these events will be shared in the next week or two.

📸 Photos and highlights from Beckwith Middle School can be found on the BMS Facebook Page.

New Flyers In This Week's Bulletin:

• DRRHS Europe Trip
• DRRHS Cheer Team Tryouts
• Bristol County Junior Golf League

Other Flyers - Mark Your Calendars:

• May 1 - Comedy Fundraiser DR Baseball/Softball Boosters
• May 2 - Spring Craft Fair
• May 6 - Virtual Parent Engagement Series: "Identifying Anxiety and Supporting Effective Regulation"
• May 4-8 - Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week Flyer
• May 14 - Understand & Supporting Your Child with Dyslexia
• May 15 - Special Olympics
• May 30 - Last Day for Hannaford Helps Schools Program

• There are additional flyers below with more information

Have a great weekend!!!

Stephen Donovan, Ed.D., Principal and Amy Abrams, Assistant Principal

#WeAreDR #DT2030 #EIS

*May 4-8 - Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week

*May 5 - MCAS Math Grade 7

*May 5 - Baseball/Softball vs. Norton (Baseball NO GAME, Softball @ BMS)

*May 6 - MCAS Math Grade 7

*May 7 - MCAS Math Grade 8

*May 7 - Baseball/Softball BMS @ Berkley

*May 8 - MCAS Math Grade 8

*May 11 - School Council (in the Library)

*May 11 - Baseball/Softball vs. Middleboro (Baseball @ Peck, Softball @ BMS)

*May 11 - Band Rehearsal (2:45-4:00 pm)

*May 12 - MCAS Math Grade 6

*May 12 - Band Rehearsal (2:45-4:00 pm)

*May 12 - Baseball/Softball BMS @ Dighton

*May 12 - School Committee Meeting 6:30 p.m.

*May 13 - MCAS Math Grade 6

*May 13 - Band Rehearsal (2:45-4:00 pm)

*May 14 - MCAS Math Grade 5

*May 14 - Select 7th and 8th grade band students and 8th grade chorus goes to Palmer River for the 4th Grade Visit

*May 14 - DRRHS CTE Roadshow for 7th Graders

*May 14 - PTSA Meeting

*May 15 - MCAS Math Grade 5

May 4 - White Days

May 5 & 6 - Blue Days

May 7 & 8 - Red Days

May 11 & 12 - White Days

May 13 & 14 - Blue Days

May 15 & 18 - Red Days

May 19 & 20 - White Days

May 21 & 22 - Blue Days

May 26 & 27 - Red Days

May 28 & 29 - White Days

"We still have spots available in; Carpentry, Criminal Justice, Early Childhood, Fun with Food, and Mad Scientist. Register for the DR Summer Experience now!"

Dear families of 8th graders moving on to DRRHS,

We’re thrilled to share that we’re heading to London, Paris, Florence and Rome in February 2028, and we’d love for your student to join us!

This is an incredible opportunity for students to explore new places, experience different cultures, and gain lifelong skills like independence and confidence. I’ll be sharing all the details, including what we’ll see and do, hands-on learning activities, academic opportunities, trip costs, and how to secure a spot at our informational meeting.

Meeting details:

Date: May 14th

Time: 6:30 PM

Location: Cafeteria

RSVP here to join us: https://bit.ly/4to3nBL

We’ll also open enrollment during the meeting -- spots are limited, so we would love to have you attend this meeting to learn more about this exciting opportunity!

Regards,

Mrs. Keane, Mrs. Lynch, & Mr. Souza

Below, you will find information about occupational therapists and assistants.

Occupational therapists (OTs) and assistants are vital members of the education team who help students participate in daily school "occupations" and fulfill their roles as learners. Their work spans both general and special education, focusing on a student's strengths to improve academic and non-academic outcomes.

Practitioners address a wide range of school-based needs, including:

• Academic & Social Skills: Supporting literacy (reading/writing), math, and social interaction.

• School Routines: Increasing participation in activities like recess, sports, and vocational training.

• Environment & Accessibility: Using activity and environmental analysis to reduce barriers and implement inclusive programming like Universal Design for Learning.

• Assistive Technology: Providing tools and technology to help students succeed.

Collaboration and Future Planning

OTs collaborate with students, parents, and educators to ensure long-term success. They play a major role in:

Self-Advocacy: Helping students develop self-determination and planning skills for their future.
Transitioning: Preparing students for life after high school, including college, employment, and independent living.

Mental & Physical Health: Addressing the holistic well-being of the student within the school environment.

O C C U P A T I O N A L T H E R A P Y w w w. a o t a . o r g

Get ready for the 2026 Hannaford Helps Schools program!

We’re happy to share our school is automatically reenrolled in the Hannaford Helps Schools program! The 2026 program will run from April 5 through May 30. During this time, our community can support our school by shopping for specially marked items. For every 4 participating products purchased, shoppers earn 3 School Dollars. At checkout, customers receive a School Dollar printout that they can redeem online and direct funds to our school.

Using Hannaford To Go? With Hannaford To Go, School Dollars are not provided at pickup. Instead, about a week into May and again a week into June, Hannaford will email you a unique code reflecting the total School Dollars you earned in the previous month from qualifying purchases.

To redeem School Dollars, simply enter the unique printout code and store number on the Hannaford Helps Schools website or app, then select our school. Each School Dollar printout also includes a QR code linking directly to the website, making it quick and easy to redeem School Dollars.

CLICK HERE for the DR Middle School MCAS.

Please CLICK HERE for resources from DESE about MCAS tests that you can review.

The MCAS measures how well your child understands the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks. These learning standards are expectations for what all students should know and be able to do at the end of each school year. It is crucial for students to give their best effort during these assessments to gauge their understanding of the Curriculum Frameworks. Each year, an analysis of the areas where students faced challenges with the Curriculum Frameworks, as identified by the MCAS, is conducted to provide the best support for students. In addition to speaking with your child about the importance of the MCAS, we ask that you do the following:

1) Please make sure your student charges their Chromebook the night before each MCAS test. They should bring in their charged Chromebook and their charger.

2) Please make sure your student gets to school on time.

3) Please make sure to check the MCAS Testing Schedule (see above), so you know when the MCAS tests will be taken. You can write the test dates on your home calendar.

4) Please make sure your student gets a good night's sleep the day before each MCAS test. Getting a good night's sleep is a good strategy on any night; however, it is especially important before taking tests. Students will be able to focus and concentrate better when they are well rested.

5) Remind your student to do their best and to have a positive attitude!

Together, we can work towards enhancing your child’s learning experience.

BMS Community,

Please remember that your student’s presence is powerful. It is our goal to have all students in school every day, and with your partnership, we can make that happen.

This is a friendly reminder to call the Main Office when your student will be absent. While notifying us prevents you from receiving the district’s automated attendance call, an absence is not considered excused unless we receive documentation from a medical provider or other approved source. Notes may be emailed directly to the office or brought in by your student.

Massachusetts State Law states that 8 absences within a quarter (approximately 45 days) is considered habitually truant. If your student is experiencing challenges that make attendance difficult, please reach out—we are here to support you. You can find the full attendance policy later in this SMORE, along with additional resources in the Student Handbook.

Reporting an Absence
Please call the 24/7 Absence Line by 8:15 a.m. on the day of the absence.
📞 508-252-5080, press 1
Include your child’s name and the reason for the absence.
You may also email: bmsattendance@drregional.org (this email can also be used to report tardies or dismissals).

Families who do not contact us by 8:15 a.m. will receive a 9:15 a.m. phone call, text message, and email from the district prompting them to confirm the absence.

Excused Absences
Absences are considered excused only for the following reasons:

• Student medical appointment/illness/quarantine (with a doctor’s note)

• Bereavement

• Family emergencies

• Observance of major religious holidays

• Inclement weather that endangers the student’s health

• Court appearances

• Out-of-school suspensions

• Disability-related absences

• Unique circumstances approved by the Principal

For chronic or irregular absences reported as illness, a physician’s statement may be required.

Submitting Documentation
Doctor’s notes may be faxed to 508-252-5082 or emailed to bmsattendance@drregional.org.

Thank you for your continued support in helping us maintain strong, consistent student attendance. Every day truly matters.

This year, BMS is up and running with a theme of "Your Presence is Powerful!" This theme from DESE not only highlights the "vital connection between student attendance and academic/social success," but also stresses the importance of students choosing to be upstanders, supporting one another to create a culture where everyone feels valued and safe. Engagement creates transformation in our school community, and we invite you to be present as well by volunteering and attending events. When we are all actively present, we have the ability to create positive meaningful change in our school community.

BMS is lucky to have a space where you can send kind messages to your children or staff during the school day. Students can also acknowledge a peer or staff member. Anyone can use this link to send a kind message. Once approved by the moderator, it gets posted on the E-Wall in the cafeteria so students and staff can read them during breakfast and lunches! Kids love to see their names up there (staff do too)! So help us spread kindness today!

We follow the same procedure above for Pickup. The School Day ends at 2:30 p.m. (dismissal begins at this time).

School breakfast and lunch will once again be provided free of charge to all students; however, all students must use the point-of-sale system to obtain their free lunch. Please encourage your child to remember their lunch PIN number, as this helps speed up the lunch lines. If a student forgets their PIN, the cafeteria staff need to look it up, which can cause delays. Please note that only breakfast will be served on early release days.

Additionally, please see below for a letter from Whitson's with instructions on setting up a MySchoolBucks account, which is required for purchasing snacks. This letter also includes information about the cafeteria's interactive menu and relevant contact details.

For breakfast and lunch menus, please CLICK HERE, click on the FD Meal Planner, and type "Dighton Rehoboth Beckwith."

Please see below for the Student Handbook for the 2025-2026 School Year which was approved by the School Committee. Please sign off in Aspen Permissions that you have read the Student Handbook so you are familiar with school and district guidelines.

We've partnered with Clothes Bin to maintain a clothes and shoes recycling bin on the Beckwith campus. They collect, manage, and distribute clothes, shoes, and textiles. If you have any clothes or shoes that could be recycled, please feel free to drop them in the bin located at the far end of the parking lot. Beckwith Middle School receives funds for donated contents. To learn more about Clothes Bin, please CLICK HERE.

The Dighton-Rehoboth Regional School District has made a community connection with Community & Social Services | Old Colony YMCA. Their Family Resource Center is available to both Dighton and Rehoboth families and has much to offer in terms of support. Please feel free to check out all that they have to offer by using the previous links.

CLICK HERE for the 2025-2026 District Calendar which was approved by the School Committee.

Click below for the latest Beckwith News Stories in the Reporter Today:

Beckwith Middle School's 2nd Trimester Honor Roll - April 14, 2026

Unified Basketball Team at Beckwith Middle School - April 2, 2026

Beckwith Middle School Competes in the Annual Massasoit League Math Meet - March 23, 2026

Beckwith Middle School Girls and Boys Basketball - March 5, 2026

Trimester 1 Honor Roll Beckwith Middle School - December 26, 2025

Beckwith Middle School News - December 16, 2025

Beckwith Middle School Fall Sports Wrap Up - November 17, 2025

Click the #WeAreDR photo above to access the school district's Facebook page

The mission of the Dighton-Rehoboth middle schools, in collaboration with parents and the community, is to develop the whole child and to provide students with the knowledge, skills, global education, technology, and social responsibility to become contributing citizens and life-long learners in our ever-changing world.

Dighton Rehoboth Regional School District does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, marital status, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other legally protected group.

Email: bmsattendance@drregional.org
Website: bms.drregional.org
Location: 330r Winthrop Street, Rehoboth, MA, USA
Phone: 508-252-5080

Beckwith Middle School / BMS Facebook / District Policy Manual / DRRSD / School Improvement Plan / Strategic Plan / Student Handbook