DRRHS Falcon Flash

Dear DRRHS Families,

The holiday excitement continues to grow all around the DRRHS campus this week. Though everyone is looking forward to some down time with friends and family over the coming weeks, the Falcons are certainly not letting the last few school days of 2025 go to waste. Here are a few of the highlights of the last full week of school this year:

• On Wednesday night the auditorium was filled with the sounds of the season as our DRRHS Chorus and Band delivered a spectacular Holiday Concert that truly captured the spirit of the holidays. A special shout-out goes to the Dighton Middle School 8th Grade Band and Chorus, who joined our high school musicians on many of the selections. Seeing our DMS and DRRHS students perform together was a powerful celebration of the collaboration and community at the heart of our performing arts programs. Special thanks to Mrs. Voccio, Mr. Botelho, Mr. Brundage, and Ms. Lopez for putting such a fantastic performance together!

• During the school day on Wednesday our Faculty and Staff held their 3rd annual Ugly Holiday Sweater party and competition. This year there were some incredibly creative sweaters. This day always goes to show that there is not a more spirit filled group than our DRRHS faculty and staff. Congratulations to all of the winners. They will be receiving some of our new Falcon swag after the big reveal at next week's pep rally.

• Our winter sports teams are in full swing. Congratulations to DRRHS mathematics teacher Michaela Deady on her first (and second) career wins as our new girls varsity basketball head coach. Good luck to all of our teams as they move deeper into their winter schedules.

What a great time of year to be a part of the DRRHS community! We are looking forward to a fun few days next week culminating in our first annual winter rally where we will unveil our new Falcon branding and celebrate our winter athletic programs. Have a great weekend.

With Falcon Pride,

Dustin Demers - Principal DRRHS

December 23 - Half day of school

December 24-31 - Holiday Break NO SCHOOL

UPCOMING EVENTS FOR JANUARY

January 1 -2 - Holiday Break NO SCHOOL

January 5 - Return to school after Holiday Break

January 7 - Early Release - Teacher Professional Development

January 19 - Martin Luther King Jr. Day - No School

January 20 -23 - Early Release - Mid Term Exams

January 26 - Start of Semester Two

December's theme was critical thinkers

Falcons who use logic, reasoning, and flexibility to analyze situations and creatively solve problems

9th Grade: Felix Gore

Motivated, diligent, conscientious

10th Grade: Rigoberto Martinez- Leveron

Hard-working, polite, trustworthy

11th Grade: Margaret Noel

Intelligent, Analytical, thoughtful

12th Grade: Maurice Cote

Dependable, analytical, innovative

Please remember to create a ParentSquare account if you have not done so yet. Thank you!

Please note that the district wide cell phone/electronic device policy will be strictly enforced this year. Please review the policy:

District Electronic Device Policy

The term “electronic devices,” includes but is not limited to cell phones, iPads/tablets, laptops/computers (other than those issued by the District), electronic/smart devices, and headphones/airpods. The expectation is that these personal devices remain off and away during the school day. Staff may require students to store phones in a centralized location. The only exception is at the high school, where students are permitted to use their phones during transition time in the hallway between classes and during lunch. High school students are not allowed to use their phones during class time, or when out of the classroom during class time (i.e., bathroom breaks). Students remain solely responsible for any loss or damage to any electronic devices used or brought onto school property. Use of electronic devices at school are subject to the District’s Acceptable Use Policy and any applicable laws and regulations, including but not limited to M.G.L. c. 272, sec. 99, which is sometimes known as the Massachusetts Wiretapping Law.

1. Warning

2. Office Detention

3. Office Detention/Confiscation of Phone for Day

4. Habitual: Parent Contact/Phone Turned in at the Beginning of the Day

*This goes for all technology*

7:00 - Doors open (breakfast available)

7:17 - First Period Begins

1:51 - Dismissal

A reminder that a student will be assigned Saturday School if they accrue 5 attendance points in a quarter.

• An unexcused absence (one not accompanied by a valid medical note) equals one attendance point.
• An unexcused tardy/dismissal equals an attendance half point.

A student's exemplary academic standing or disciplinary record have no bearing on the assignment of a Saturday School in the case of five or more attendance points being accrued over the course of one quarter of the school year.

School begins at 7:17AM. Any student arriving at 7:17 or later will be considered tardy for that day.

All Chromebooks should be charged and ready for each school day. Outside devices are not permitted, only school issued Chromebooks can be used at DRRHS during the school day.

The school has a limited number of loaner chromebooks and priority is to those students whose chromebooks are being fixed. Please remember that students should be bringing in fully charged chromebooks to school every day with charging cords.

If a Senior or Junior is planning on parking at school, they can purchase a sticker in the office. The cost to park at school is $60 for the year. Parking forms are available in the office. Please be aware that students will not be able to go out to their cars during the school day. They must remember to have everything with them when they enter the building in the morning.

Please make sure you do not cut through the Faculty Parking Lot before or after school. The Faculty Parking Lot should not be used as a shortcut for safety reasons. Thank you!

Please click the button below to access our District Wide Student Handbook.

Medical Permission Forms are due to the nurse for all students. The form was emailed to families before the start of the school year. If you have not completed the form, please do so as soon as possible. Hard copies of the forms are available in the nurse's office or the high school main office.

Please use the button below to access an important letter from our school nurse.

Please use the button below to access a flyer from the DRSEPAC

Please use the button below to view an invitation for the DRSEPAC IEP Binder Event.

Please use the button below to access community resources that are available. Please reference Mr. Runey's email sent out today.

Mrs Nardozzi and her Engineering Design + Drafting II and III students created custom ornaments for the little Falcon's PreK students. Engineering students first interviewed PreK students in November, and then created a fully customized ornament for each PreK student. This is a fun tradition we started back in 2021 and hope to continue for a long time.

Seniors who have been accepted to college, please let Mrs. Shillan in guidance know. She will post it in on the window in guidance and have it announced during morning announcements if you choose.

STARS Report: Just a reminder for students to check your emails after you apply to college. There are 38 colleges across the nation that accept/require students to fill out The Self-reported Transcript and Academic Record System (STARS). For example, The University of Rhode Island and The University of Connecticut require this. The University of Massachusetts Amherst and The University of New Hampshire accept it and encourage it but do not require it. You will need your transcript of courses to fill this out.

Please let us know if we can help you. - Your Guidance Counselors

Here is the link: https://srar.selfreportedtranscript.com/Login.aspx

FAFSA is OPEN

Any student planning on attending a 2 or 4 year college must fill out FAFSA

Families looking for guidance regarding financing college, please access MEFA (Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority):

MEFA Institute

Resource Center

Get to Know the CSS Profile

Roughly 200 colleges, universities, and scholarship agencies require the CSS Profile, a financial aid application administered by College Board. We often get questions about the CSS Profile, so we put together an explanation of who requires it, why colleges use it, how it differs from the FAFSA, and more. Read it now.

Get the Facts

Sign up now to get MEFA guidance straight to your inbox.

Join Email List

Email sent by:
MEFA
60 State Street, Suite 900
Boston, MA, 02109
NMLS# 1724150 NMLS Consumer Access

SAT and ACT registration information:

Tuesday 12/16

• Girls Basketball vs. Case Win 60-40
• Boys Varsity Basketball vs. Case Win 68-54

Wednesday 12/17

• Girls Ice Hockey vs. Bishop Feehan Loss 2-0
• Boys Ice Hockey vs. Taunton Loss 6-2

Thursday 12/18

• Girls Varsity Basketball vs. Southeastern Loss 40-45

Monday 12/22

• Girls Basketball vs. Westport (Away) 5:00pm

Tuesday 12/23

• Wrestling vs. Marshfield (Away) 12:00pm
• Indoor Track vs. Apponequet (Wheaton College) 3:30pm
• Freshman Boys Basketball vs. Seekonk (Away) 3:30pm
• JV Boys Basketball vs. Seekonk (Away) 5:00pm
• Boys Ice Hockey vs. Dartmouth (Away) 6:00pm
• Varsity Boys Basketball vs. Seekonk (Away) 6:30pm

Saturday 12/27

• Wrestling vs. Marshfield (Away) 9:00am

Sunday 12/28

• Boys Basketball vs. Dedham (Moscato Holiday Tournament at Oliver Ames) 5:00pm

Monday 12/29

• Boys Basketball vs. TBD (Moscato Holiday Tournament at Oliver Ames) TBD

Wednesday 12/31

• Wrestling vs. Greater New Bedford (Away) 10:00am

Friday 1/2

• Boys Freshman Basketball vs. Old Rochester (Away) 3:30pm
• Boys JV Basketball vs. Old Rochester (Away) 5:00pm
• Boys Varsity Basketball vs. Old Rochester (Away) 6:30pm

Saturday 1/3

• Gymnastics vs. Barnstable (HOME) 4:00pm
• Boys Ice Hockey vs. Bourne (Away) 5:00pm

Throughout the season, you can find all DR athletic schedules on Arbiter Live.

For any questions or concerns regarding athletics and activities, please contact Matt McKinnon, Director of Athletics & Activities, at mmckinnon@drregional.org