Douglas High School Updates

Hello Douglas High School Community,

We are entering our home stretch in athletics. There are Senior Games planned for Volleyball tonight at 6pm, Girls Soccer Tomorrow at 11am, and Boys Soccer on Tuesday the 27th at 3:30pm. We are finishing the process of our signs of suicide training for our Freshmen class. This provides our students with guidelines on who and where to reach out to should a friend or themselves be in need of support. Additionally, we had our first group of students participate in the Nichols Leadership Academy.

Next week is fairly uneventful. Students should be using their intervention time on Tuesday and Thursday to meet with their teachers in classes they might be struggling in. The term does close the first week of November and this is a good time to catch up on missing/late assignments, preparing for a quiz/test, finalizing projects, etc.

Douglas Public Schools is committed to building strong partnerships with our families. We value your input and would like to learn how we can better engage you in your child's education and school community. Please take a few minutes to complete this brief survey: SURVEY LINK

Have a great weekend everyone

Click HERE for the Calendar of Events

10/28 PSAT's

10/30 Senior Halloween Parade

10/30 Haunted Hallways 6:30-9pm

11/3 Term 1 Closes

11/3 Picture Makeup Day

11/5 Term 1 Report Cards Available

11/9 Nichols Leadership Academy

11/10 Veteran's Day Assembly

11/11 No School (Veteran's Day)

11/12 MyCAP day

11/19 Half-Day (Parent Teacher Conferences 6:30pm-8pm)

11/25 Half-Day (Thanksgiving Recess)

11/26 -11/27 No School (Thanksgiving Recess)

Hello Senior Parents!

Your 2027 Yearbook staff is just getting started on this year's book and I am excited to see what they come up with! For those of you who chose to have senior portraits taken with Smile Pro, you are all set and don't need to do anything - the photographer will send us the pictures you choose. Please be sure to make your selections with them by Dec 1st.

For those who have chosen other photographers, please upload the picture via this form. Please upload the portrait no later than Dec 1st.

Soon we will open up yearbook sales and the staff will be asking for baby photos, throwback pictures, etc. So for now just be aware that we will be looking for those contributions sometime in Dec or Jan.

All sales will be done online via the publishing company once sales open. We will send a link at that time. The deadline to purchase will be mid-May.

Each student will have the opportunity to create 2 free personalized pages unique to his/her own book. That's a great place for family photos and other moments you wish to commemorate! Those pages are due by mid May to allow time for printing.

The yearbook is published after graduation so memories of those senior week activities can be included in the book. You will be notified in early July that the books are available for pick up in the main office at that time.

If you have any other questions or concerns related to yearbook, please feel free to reach out to the yearbook advisor, Emily Costa at ecosta@douglasps.net.

2027 AP Exam Dates and Fees

**Each student taking an AP course is expected to take the AP exam in the Spring**

• Exam Fee: $99 per exam-students who need a partial fee waiver should see Mrs. Thompson in the main office for an application.

• Due: Friday, October 30, 2026 to Mrs. Searl in the Counseling Office. Payment should be made by cash or check made payable to the Town of Douglas.

Tuesday, May 4, 2027

8:00 am: US Government and Politics

12:oo pm: Microeconomics

Wednesday, May 5, 2027

8:00 am: English Literature and Composition

Thursday, May 6, 2027

12:00 pm: Chemistry

Friday, May 7, 2027

8:00 am: US History

Monday, May 10, 2027

8:00 am: Calculus AB

12:00 pm: Seminar

Tuesday, May 11, 2027

12:00 pm: Statistics

Wednesday, May 12, 2027

8:00 am: English Language and Composition

Thursday, May 13, 2027

8:00 am: Spanish Language and Culture

12:00 pm: Environmental Science

Friday, May 14, 2027

12:00 pm: Psychology

Come join any of our events. Game Schedules: Athletic Calendar

Please see the Athletic Handbook for policies and procedures

Sign Up for Fall Sports HERE

If you want a video to describe the policy, click HERE

If you qualify for Buyback, please see one of our Administrators or Guidance Counselors to initiate.

As many families are aware, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is moving forward with legislation addressing student cell phone use as well as other communicable devices from "bell to bell". In preparation of these requirements, DPSD school committee will be voting on the following cell phone policy which is intended to go into effect with the start of the year.

My goal is to share this with you in advance of the school year so that everyone can review the expectations with their children before the start of the school year. This updated policy establishes clear expectations for student cell phone use and pushes us towards the areas required by the State. We recognize that cell phones have become an important part of communication for many families. At the same time, we look to improve upon an environment that supports learning and academic engagement.

We appreciate your partnership in reviewing the expectations with your children and helping us begin the school year with a clear understanding of the updated expectations.

Cell Phone Policy:

Cell phones, headphones, smart watches, Meta glasses, and similar items must be stored in specific spaces (pouches, lockers, boxes, etc) designated by administration each class period. Students must come to the office to make a phone call. This may include matters related to family, transportation, work, and other reasons of similar levels of importance.

Families who need to contact their student during school hours should contact the school’s main office and not directly call the student.

Students found in violation of the policy will receive progressive discipline:

• 1st Offense: Device left in the main office, phone call home.

• 2nd Offense: Device left in the main office. Parents/guardians pick up the device from the main office.

• 3rd Offense: Meeting with parents/guardians, student, and/or counselors to determine additional measures up to and including written plan with a ban on all electronic devices for 2 weeks.

• Further Offenses: Student will hand in the device to the main office and be assigned up to 1 day of In-School Suspension

No student will photograph or videotape a Douglas Public Schools employee or student without the knowledge and consent of the employee.

Photos or videos should never be taken in the locker rooms or bathroom areas.

Other electronic devices such as laser pointers are not allowed to be used in the school building at any time.

Students who have documented with the Nurse that their phone is used as a medical device will require proximity with their device and will be allowed possession of their device. However, should that student be in violation of phone use (such as social media use, watching videos, etc.) they will face modified consequences such as their phone being on the teachers desk and their classroom seat next to that desk for a 1st offense.