Dewey's Details: Caregiver Update

Dear Dutile Caregivers,

Welcome to the 2026–2027 school year at the Dutile Elementary School! We hope you’ve enjoyed a wonderful summer filled with time to relax, recharge, and make some special memories with family and friends.

There is something special about the beginning of a new school year. It gives all of us a fresh start and a chance to look ahead with excitement, hope, and possibility. New classrooms, new teachers, new friendships, new experiences, and so many opportunities to learn and grow are waiting for our students as they walk through our doors.

Over the past several weeks, our building has been coming back to life as we prepare to welcome everyone. Classrooms have been arranged, supplies organized and delivered, lessons planned, and hallways and bulletin boards transformed for our students. Mrs. Stack has been busy registering new students, processing supplies, and keeping everything in the office moving forward, while our facilities and maintenance team has worked incredibly hard to prepare the building for another year. Our teachers and staff have also been putting a tremendous amount of thought, care, and energy into preparing for the students who will soon fill our classrooms and hallways. I am incredibly grateful for everything that has gone into getting Dutile ready for this new beginning.

As we begin this year, we remain committed to making Dutile a place where every student feels safe, welcomed, supported, and connected. We want our students to know that they belong here, that there are adults who care deeply about them, and that each day brings an opportunity to learn something new, build relationships, take chances, and grow.

We also know that none of this work happens without our partnership with you. Families are an incredibly important part of our school community, and we value the trust you place in us each day. We look forward to continuing to strengthen those connections and working together to make a difference in the lives of each and every one of our students.

Kim and I, along with our entire Dutile team, cannot wait to welcome our students back, hear about their summer adventures, reconnect with familiar faces, and get to know those who are joining our community for the first time.

A new school year is a new beginning, and there is so much to look forward to. We are excited about all of the wonderful possibilities ahead and look forward to making 2026–2027 a memorable year together!

With excitement and gratitude,

Scott Middlemiss and Kim Fonseca

P.S. This is an extra-long edition of Dewey’s Details, but there is a lot of important information to share as we get ready for the new school year! There are also a few action items for caregivers, so please take some time to read through the entire newsletter and complete the surveys and forms included below. Thank you for taking the time to help us get the year off to a great start!

P.P.S. We’ve included a poem below that beautifully captures the heart of our shared work—helping to brighten and enrich the lives of our students. The author is unknown, but its simple message is a wonderful reminder of the difference we can make for children each and every day.

The best way to get in touch with us is always by email:

• Scott Middlemiss, Principal: smiddlemiss@billericak12.com
• Kimberly Fonseca, Assistant Principal: ktoupinfonseca@billericak12.com

Please don’t hesitate to reach out at any time. We are here to support you and your child.

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At Dutile, we believe families are essential partners in creating a positive school experience. Your involvement, ideas, and feedback are truly valued, and open communication between home and school is a key ingredient in every student’s success.

To stay connected, we encourage you to keep an eye on classroom updates, the weekly Caregiver Update, and other communications from the school. Messages will also be shared through our Aspen-linked notification system (please make sure your contact information is current—send any changes directly to Mrs. Stack at estack@billericak12.com).

In addition, you’ll find news and information posted on the Dutile School website and on our Facebook page—both designed to keep you informed and engaged throughout the year.

As we prepare for the start of a new school year, we are pleased to share the 2026–2027 Dutile School Guidelines & Procedures Manual. This resource provides caregivers with important information about our school’s guidelines, expectations, routines, and procedures. We encourage all families to take some time to review the manual and keep it as a reference throughout the school year.

Please note: Dutile School’s daily schedule and hours are different from those of the other elementary schools in the district. We begin and end our school day earlier than the other elementary schools.

• Students may enter the building: 7:45 AM
• School day begins: 7:55 AM
• School day ends: 2:05 PM
• Breakfast: Free breakfast is available in the cafeteria for all students who would like to participate.

Please be sure to keep these times in mind when planning for arrival and dismissal.

Procedures may be updated as needed throughout the year to remain consistent with district policies and safety protocols. Any significant changes will always be communicated with families.

Thank you for entrusting us with your child’s education. We greatly value your trust, support, and partnership and are grateful to have your family as part of the Dutile community. We look forward to a joyful, successful, and rewarding 2026–2027 school year!

Click here for a formatted document of the new Arrival Plan.

The safety of our students is always our top priority. To keep morning arrival safe, smooth, and efficient, please carefully review the following procedures and refer to the map for a visual guide. Thank you in advance for your cooperation and for modeling safe routines for our students.

🚍 Buses and Vans

• Only buses and vans should use the front school driveway (bus loop).

• Students will enter through the front entrance.
  
  

🚶 Walkers

• Walkers should enter through the front entrance of the school.
  
  

🚴 Bikers

• Bikes should be parked at the bike racks in front of the school.

• Bikers enter through the front entrance.
  
  

🚗 Family Vehicles – Car Drop-off Loop

Important: Family cars may NOT use the bus loop!

• All family vehicles must use the designated rolling Drop-off/Pick-up area, marked with signage.

• This area is a rolling drop-off zone only—there is no parking and no walking students in from this loop.
  
  

Car Drop-off Expectations:

• Use the school sidewalk to enter the family vehicle loop up to the edge of the school building.

• Pull ALL the way forward to the end of the loop, even if there is open space behind you.

• Please remain in your vehicle while using the drop-off line. Students should be ready to exit the vehicle independently when you reach the designated drop-off area. If your child needs assistance getting out of the car or saying goodbye, please park in a designated parking space and walk your child to the appropriate entrance.

• Place your car in PARK before your child exits.

• Students should exit on the passenger side for safety.

• If you wish to park and walk your child to the entrance, please use the visitor parking lot in front of the school.

🅿️ Parking

Important: Please do not park on the shoulders of the driveway, where

“No Parking” is clearly marked.

• Staff Parking – Designated lot (see map).

• Visitor Parking – Families may park here if walking students into the building.

By following these procedures, we can ensure a safe and efficient start for every Dutile student each morning. Please see the attached map for a visual reference of all routes and areas. Thank you for your partnership in making arrival smooth and safe!

To help us maintain a safe and secure environment for our students and staff, all visitors and volunteers must report directly to the main office upon arrival. At the office, you will be asked to sign in and wear a visitor badge so that we can easily identify who is in the building. When your visit is complete, please remember to sign out and return your badge.

For safety reasons, entry during school hours is permitted only through the front door. If you are in the building and notice someone without a badge, staff members will kindly direct them back to the office. This is a standard safety practice, not a confrontation.

In addition, anyone wishing to volunteer at the Dutile School is required to complete a CORI (Criminal Offender Record Information) check each school year. Forms are available in the main office and must be completed in person, along with a copy of your driver’s license. Since processing can take several weeks, we strongly encourage you to complete this step as soon as possible. Please note that outside CORI approvals cannot be accepted, and volunteers may not begin until clearance is received.

For more details, please see the district website.

Good afternoon, Dutile Caregivers.

In order for our classroom teachers to be prepared to start the year with your student(s), and for the bus company to have the most accurate information to plan this year's routes, we are asking families to complete this short student transportation survey.

Surveys are unique to each student. If you have more than one student attending in September, please complete a separate survey for each child!

ALSO...we may host events during the year in which we will offer a t-shirt for each student. The last question on this survey is your chance to provide us with an approximate t-shirt size for your child.

We would appreciate your response by Sunday, August 30th so that we have this information for the first days of school. Thank you in advance!

Please click on the link below to fill out the survey. As a reminder, please fill out one survey for each of your children who will be attending the Dutile School during the 2026-2027 school year.

https://forms.gle/1S5XREUSsiydBN3S8

There are three documents that will also be sent home (hard copy) in your child's take-home folder that need to be returned to school.

1) Billerica Public Schools Emergency Contact Information Form

• This form needs to be completed and returned to school as soon as possible.

2) Billerica Public Schools Medical Information Form

• This form needs to be completed and returned to school as soon as possible.

3) Student Acceptable Use Policy

• This form needs to be reviewed by both you and your child, then signed and returned to school.

Please complete these forms and return to school as soon as possible

This Google Form is to be completed ONLY if you DO NOT wish your child’s name or photograph released to the media or printed in school programs.

The Billerica Public School District uses images and sounds of students and staff participating in programs as a way of documenting the enjoyable and educational experiences they have within the Billerica schools. These images are often used on the child’s school website, classroom page or the Billerica Public School District website. In addition, there are occasions when students are photographed or videotaped by the news media, or their names may be published for recognition.

If you do not wish to have such information released to the news media, printed in school programs, or used on the district’s website, please sign below. This is in compliance with the student’s record release regulations and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974.

This form is due by Friday, September 11, 2026.

https://forms.gle/ZimaNJNrsgXf12gf6

This year, the district has updated the structure of our special subjects, allowing the talents and expertise of our amazing special subject teachers to be shared across schools throughout Billerica.

While the special subjects our students know and enjoy will remain the same, you may notice some new faces teaching these classes at Dutile this year. We are fortunate to have several returning staff members, along with some teachers who will be joining the Dutile community for the first time.

We are excited to welcome both new and returning special subject teachers to Dutile this year! We know they will bring their talents, creativity, and enthusiasm to our students and school community. Please join us in giving our new staff members a warm Dutile welcome!

Art (Mondays and Tuesdays): Ms. Sarah Coakley

Art (Fridays): Ms. Megan Wallace

Health (Mondays and Fridays): Ms. Ashleigh Oestricher

Health (Wednesdays): Ms. Julielyn Mullen

LITE (Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays): Ms. Christina Dill

Music (Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays): Ms. Kayla McGarr

Physical Education (Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays): Ms. Ashleigh Oestreicher

We are excited to officially welcome several new staff members to the Dutile School! We also have some returning staff members who will be stepping into new roles for the 2026–2027 school year. We are thrilled to have each of them as part of our Dutile community and look forward to all they will bring to our students, families, and school.

Please join us in welcoming and getting to know our new staff members below!

• Ms. Emily Vinci: Special Education Coordinator
• Ms. Chelsey Mathews: Special Education (STRIVE) Teacher
• Ms. Riley Aptt: Kindergarten Paraprofessional
• Ms. Tia Bothwell: STRIVE Paraprofessional
• Ms. Kimberley Devlin: STRIVE Paraprofessional
• Ms. Chelsea Haslam: STRIVE Paraprofessional
• Ms. Kathryn Leifheit: STRIVE Paraprofessional
• Ms. Emily Long: STRIVE Paraprofessional
• Ms. Abigail Tierney: STRIVE Registered Behavior Technician (RBT)
• Ms. Dianne Pellegrino: Building-Based Substitute (Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays)

We are excited to welcome our incoming kindergarten students and caregivers to Dutile for Kindergarten Orientation on Thursday, September 3, 2026, from 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM!

During orientation, students and caregivers will have an opportunity to learn more about kindergarten and prepare for the start of the school year. We will also have a school bus at Dutile so our newest students can practice getting on and off the bus before their first day!

We hope this experience helps our kindergartners feel comfortable, confident, and excited as they get ready for their first day of school on Tuesday, September 8, 2026.

We look forward to seeing our kindergarten families on September 3rd!

We are looking for caregivers who would like to serve on the Dutile School Advisory Council (SAC) for the 2026–2027 school year. Caregiver representation is an important part of the council, and we would love to have members of our school community join us and share their perspectives.

School Advisory Councils are made up of caregivers, educators, the school principal, and a community representative. The council works collaboratively to support the continued growth and improvement of our school.

As outlined by Massachusetts law, the School Advisory Council works with the principal to:

• Identify the educational needs of students.
• Establish educational goals for the school that are consistent with district priorities and statewide standards.
• Review the annual school budget.
• Help develop and review the annual School Improvement Plan.

Caregiver members serve as representatives of our broader Dutile community. Their perspectives, ideas, and feedback are an important part of our conversations and help ensure that caregiver voices are represented as we make decisions about the needs and priorities of our school.

I would love to have caregiver representation from across our Dutile community on this year’s council! If you are interested in serving on the 2026–2027 Dutile School Advisory Council, please email me at smiddlemiss@billericak12.com and include “Dutile SAC Volunteer” in the subject line.

Thank you for considering this opportunity to become involved and help support our students and school community!

Get Involved with the Dutile PTO!
The Dutile PTO is already planning exciting events for the 2025–2026 school year—and we’d love your help! Whether you’re interested in leading a committee, helping plan behind the scenes, or just showing up to volunteer for an hour or two, we have a role for everyone. It’s a great way to stay connected, meet other families, and support our amazing school community.

Fill out our quick volunteer interest form here: https://dutilepto.com/volunteer/

Let’s make this year the best one yet!

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We’re Looking for Walk-a-Thon Sponsors!

Support Our Students!

Calling all local businesses!

The Dutile Elementary School PTO is looking for local businesses to partner with us as sponsors for our 20th Annual Walk-a-Thon, happening this October!

The Walk-a-Thon is our one and only fundraiser of the school year, and the money raised directly supports our Dutile students, teachers, and families — including K–4 programs and activities, field trips, books, playground equipment, community events, and teacher requests.

By sponsoring the Walk-a-Thon, your business will also receive recognition throughout the 2026–2027 school year, including opportunities on our website, pledge pages, social media, and our custom Walk-a-Thon shirts worn by students, teachers, and families. Our Facebook page alone reaches an average of 22,000 views each month!

Most importantly, your sponsorship is an opportunity to invest directly in the children and families in our local community. We also encourage our Dutile families to support the businesses that support our school!

Interested in becoming a sponsor or learning more about sponsorship levels?

Visit: dutilepto.com/sponsorship/

Please feel free to share this post or tag a local business owner who might be interested in supporting Dutile Elementary!

Thank you for helping us make our 20th Annual Walk-a-Thon our best one yet!

Please follow and "like" the "Frederick J. Dutile Elementary School" Facebook page. I will be posting often to share examples of the incredible teaching and learning that takes place at our school each day!

https://www.facebook.com/dutileschool

Wednesday, September 2, 2026

• First Day of School: Grades 1 - 4

• 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM: Kindergarten Orientation

Friday, September 4, 2026

• NO SCHOOL

Monday, September 7, 2026

• NO SCHOOL: Labor Day

Tuesday, September 8, 2026

• School Reopens
• First Day of School: Kindergarten
• Third Day of School: Grades 1 - 4

Thursday, September 17, 2026

• 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM: "Back to School" Night in Dutile Classrooms

Wednesday, September 30, 2026

• EARLY RELEASE DAY: Dismissal at 12:05 PM