The Weekly Buzz

Dear Families,

What an amazing first week of school it has been! The energy in our classrooms and hallways has been so positive, and our students are already settling into routines, making new friends, and diving into learning. We are so proud of the way they’ve started the year, and we can’t wait to officially welcome our PreK students on Monday—it will be wonderful to have our entire PRES family together under one roof!

In the coming weeks, our teachers will be taking time to get to know each child as a learner by checking in on their skills in reading, writing, and mathematics. This helps us better understand each student’s strengths and areas for growth so that we can provide the right support and challenges throughout the year.

As part of this process, all students in the early grades will also participate in the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s (DESE) mandated early literacy screening. This universal screening takes place three times each year and gives teachers valuable information about how students are progressing with the foundational skills that are so important for long-term success in reading.

Please see the screening notification included below for more information about DESE’s requirements and the assessment tool our district uses. We encourage you to read it so you’ll know what to expect and how the results will be used to support your child’s learning.

We are looking forward to another wonderful week ahead filled with curiosity, growth, and joy. Thank you, as always, for your partnership and support—it makes such a difference for our students. Wishing all of our PRES families a safe, restful, and happy weekend!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Kristine Kefor, Principal & Mrs. Cassey Monte, Assistant Principal

#WeAreDR!

• First Day of School for Students in Preschool: Monday, September 8th

• PTSA Meeting at PRES: Thursday, September 11th at 6:30pm at BMS
• DR District-Wide Spirit Day: Friday, September 12th
• Early Release/No PM Preschool for Staff Professional Development: Wednesday, October 1st
• Holiday/No School: Monday, October 13th
• Fall School Picture Day: Monday, October 20th
• Grade 2 Math or Treat Night: Thursday, October 23rd
• Professional Learning Day for Staff-No School: Tuesday, November 4th

Please click below to open and download the district calendar of events for the 2025-2026 school year. Each student will also receive a PRES take home folder that has the district calendar included.

Our student information system has a section called "Permissions" that needs to be completed by all new families, and reviewed by returning families. Please be sure to log into your Aspen account and select your "Permissions" for each of your children.

Bloom Bus Co. has asked us to let you know that students must be out at the bus stop ten minutes before the scheduled pickup time. Students cannot wait inside the house, or on the porch, etc. They must be out at the bus stop. Being in position when the bus arrives keeps the district on schedule.

Students at the elementary school should have a parent and/or guardian waiting at the bus stop or visible to the driver at the bus stop. In the event that parent/guardian is not present at the bus stop or visible to the bus driver, the driver may drop-off students (other than kindergarteners and first graders), with prior written consent from the parents/guardians, unless specific circumstances would make doing so unsafe on a specific occasion.

Kindergarten and first-grade students must have a parent/guardian present at the bus stop or visible to the bus driver to be dropped off. With prior written consent from the parents/guardians, kindergarteners and first-graders may be dropped off without a parent/guardian present at the bus stop only if a sibling or other member of the household in grades 2 or up is being dropped off at the same time and is able to escort the kindergartener or first-grader home.

Hello Families,

I hope everyone had a restful and healthy summer! As we start the new school year, I’d like to share some important health updates and reminders from the nurse’s office.

September is Lice Prevention Month

Head lice are common among school-aged children and are spread mainly through direct head-to-head contact — not poor hygiene. Let’s work together to prevent lice in our school!

Prevention Tips:

• Avoid sharing hats, brushes, combs, and headphones
  

• Keep long hair tied up in braids or ponytails
  

• Check your child’s scalp regularly (behind ears and at the neck)
  
  

What to Look For:

• Itchy scalp or frequent scratching
  

• Small white/yellow eggs (nits) attached to hair shafts
  

• Tiny bugs crawling in the hair
  
  

If you find lice, please notify the school nurse so we can reach out to your child's classroom if we find a cluster. Below you will find the Massachusetts Department guidelines for lice.

https://www.mass.gov/info-details/head-lice-pediculosis

-Nurse Elizabeth

If your child needs to take medication during the school day, please help us ensure their safety by following these important steps:

✅ Complete the required medication forms
✅ Provide a doctor's order for any prescribed medication
✅ Send all prescription medications in their original container, clearly labeled with:

• Your child’s name
  
• The name of the medication
  
• The correct dosage
  

🚫 Please do not send medications to school with students.

Parents and guardians should contact the health office to arrange drop-off.

📩 To coordinate medication drop-off or if you have any questions, please reach out directly to our school nurse, Mrs. Elizabeth Ferreira, at eferreira@drregional.org.

Thank you for your help in keeping our students safe and healthy!

The AM PreK session begins at 8:45am and ends at 11:15am.

The PM PreK session begins at 12:30pm and ends at 3:00pm.

Please inform the school office (ahalajko@drregional.org & lsaxon@drregional.org) and your child's classroom teacher of any changes to dismissal plans before 2:45 p.m. each day.

We’re so excited to welcome our littlest learners to PRES! PreK students should be dropped off at the front of the school and enter through the Kindergarten entrance, located just to the right of the main entrance. Our friendly PreK staff will be there to greet students and caregivers each day with a warm welcome! At the end of the session, families should also plan to pick up at the same entrance.

If you have any questions or need a little extra guidance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the main office — we’re happy to help! We can’t wait to see our PreK stars shine!

InStride Health has weekly Webinars to support parents and caregivers of children living with OCD and Anxiety. Please see the flyer below.

Proceeds benefit the Beckwith Unified Sports Program and all student athletes at Beckwith Middle School. Race information and registration form are below.

The Dighton-Rehoboth Regional School District

Website: https://pres.drregional.org/

Location: 326 Winthrop Street, Rehoboth, MA 02769

Phone: 508-252-5100/Fax: 508-252-5110

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.