Dighton-Rehoboth Regional Schools

Dear DR Community,

Entering the 6th month of the school year marks a milestone as we have eclipsed the semester break. The days are getting longer, and, if you believe the forecasters, February is expected to be warmer and drier.

Here's hoping the second half of the year is as productive as the first!

Together ... We Are DR!

Take care,

Bill

Our December initiative to make Holiday DReams Come True was a tremendous success! As many as 21 children from Dighton were provided with coats, gloves, hats, and multiple gifts. Without this program, they may not have received anything at all. Similarly, 9 children from Rehoboth also received the same. Of note; we were told that historically there have only been 2-3 children from Rehoboth who benefit from this program. Our reach into our two towns had tremendous impact.

Both of our Kindergartens and our 5th Grades contributed to the Holiday DReams DRive. I will recognize each grade at each school. This week was Kindergarten at PRES. The kids did a great job with the "WE ARE DR" chant and even learned how to #CawCaw.

We held our first whole team meeting where stakeholders from both towns and across the district came together for our first DRiving Toward 2030 strategic planning meeting. It was great to see so many people come together to shape the future of the district. The meeting focused on developing subcommittees, and we will keep you updated on how you can participate in empowering our DRiving Toward 2030 team. #WeAreDR!

Entering the winter months will certainly bring a change in weather conditions. Please be sure that your contact info in Aspen is up to date for texts, calls, and emails regarding inclement weather. Contact the Main Office at your child's school for any necessary updates.

For assistance with the Aspen Family Portal, please submit a Technology Helpdesk ticket.

We continue to update our academic calendar for the 2023-2024 school year. Please take a moment to view it by clicking on this link.

In our PreK advisory meetings, we have undertaken a thorough review and planning process to enhance the PreK program. Notable additions to the PreK Handbook include a dedicated section on Occupational Therapy (OT), and we are in the process of incorporating a School-Based Speech and Language Pathology section. Updates to the Table of Contents and the initiation of an FAQ section aim to provide clarity and accessibility for parents. To learn more about what the PreK Advisory has worked on, visit HERE.

We're excited to share that our Wellness Committee is gearing up for its meeting on February 6th at the high school. What exactly is our Wellness Committee all about? Well, it's a fantastic group made up of school staff, community representatives, parents, and students. Together, we focus on promoting student wellness by looking into things like school nutrition, physical activity, and mental health. For more information about our Wellness Committee, or if you are interested in joining, please see HERE for more details.

We want to inform you of an upcoming meeting where we will be introducing the Dighton-Rehoboth Regional School District’s Special Education Procedural Handbook—a significant endeavor that underscores our commitment to excellence in special education.

Meeting Details:

Date: February 6, 2024

Time: 6pm

Location: Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School’s Media Center

The primary objectives of the Special Education Procedural Handbook are as follows:

• Promote Consistency and Continued Compliance: Ensuring adherence to state and federal requirements for the benefit of our students.

• Provide Documentation for DESE: Offering comprehensive support to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

• Act as a Resource: Serving as a valuable reference for staff, students, families, and stakeholders.

• Guidance for Staff: Offering direction on state and federal requirements, program implementation, and monitoring.

• Reflect Current Guidance: Aligning with federal, state, and research-based best practices.

Please visit HERE for additional details about this meeting.

We hope to see you there!