Deer Families

Deer Hill School News . November 22, 2024

Dear Deer Hill Families,

As we head into a short week, please remember that dismissal will be at 1:15 on Wednesday, November 27. There will not be a newsletter published next week. I wish you a very safe and happy Thanksgiving full of gratitude!

All the best,

Alexandra L. Sullivan

Principal, Deer Hill School

Need to Knows

Deer Hill Family Handbook

Absence Line & Email Address: 781-383-6115; DHS-notes@cohassetk12.org.

Deer Hill Breakfast Routine Change: Beginning Monday, December 2, we'll return to serving breakfast in the cafeteria rather than a grab-and-go model. The fresh squeezed OJ and homemade waffles (with syrup!) have proved to be a tricky combination with classroom materials. Students will be expected to go straight to the caf upon arrival and eat their breakfast promptly. They'll be given a pass to ensure that they're not marked tardy and must be in class and ready to learn by 9:20. This is a great time to have a conversation with your student about breakfast and to check your MySchoolBucks account to see if visits match the plan you've made as a family. We provide breakfast to all students free of charge and cannot turn students away.

Early Dismissals: Last Friday, we had over 20 students checked out early. This is a large number but is dwarfed by what we see most Fridays in winter when 60+ students (20% of the school!) are typically dismissed early. Please understand that this is not only detrimental to the learning of students being dismissed, but it also disrupts the learning of others in class and slows down the work being done in the office. Teachers would be so appreciative if you could arrange your weekend plans so that they begin after our scheduled dismissal time.

Deer Hill Happenings

PSO Donuts and Discussion Forum: This morning the PSO hosted a lively conversation around the value of unstructured play and how we navigate technology/phone/device use with our grade 3-5 students. I was joined by elementary IT specialist, Cassandra O'Brien, Deer Hill Tech teacher, Charlie Saluti, and grade 5 teacher, Cheryl Chapman. It was a true dialogue as attendees shared their perspectives, experiences, and struggles.

Welcoming Former Students: Deer Hill loves it when former students return to visit, especially when they share their academic talents with us! This week we had members of the 8th grade robotics team (Isaac Stevenson, Calvin Gainey, Trevor Bestick, and Edward Dippold) present to 4th grade students on the impact of water pollution. Additionally, three 9th grade students (Katie Kenealy, Natalia Saiz, and Charlotte Reilly) presented to 5th grade students on the value of clean water. Cleary this is an important topic that's relevant to our seaside community, and the knowledge of each group, as well as their presentation skills, were impressive!

Other Happenings

Celebrating our ESPs and Mrs. McElhinney with a banner signed by ALL students!

More love with handwritten notes of appreciation

Officer Lowrance on recess patrol!

BASE knitters finish hats & add straight needles to their skill set

BASE students are impressive Lego engineers

I had some extra help from Jacqueline M, CEF auction winner of the Principal for the Day

Hugo in the House

Hugo on Instagram: Keep up with Hugo's adventures on his Instagram account, @Hugo.Dogberry

Officer Lowrance isn't the only one having fun at recess!

Deer Hill Dates

November

11.27: Early release, 1:15 dismissal

11.28-11.29: Thanksgiving break, no school

December

12.4: Grade 5 to “A Christmas Carol” play

12.6: Last day of term 1

12.9-12.13: Circus Smirkus circus in residence

12.13, 6:00: Grade 5 circus performance (buy tickets here)

12.13: Progress reports published in Aspen

12.16: Grade 3 to NE Aquarium

12.19, 2:15 (gym): Winter band and chorus concert

12.20: Festive Sweater Spirit Day

12.23-12.31: Winter break, no school

Spring MCAS Dates (thank you for your help with strong attendance):

ELA MCAS: April 10 & 11
Science MCAS (grade 5 only): May 7 & 8
Math MCAS: May 14 & 15

CPS and Deer Hill calendars 2024-25

Flyers of Interest

Below are events and happenings that may be of interest to you.

CHS Student Coat Drive: Hello everyone! I would like to inform you all about a student run coat drive from December 2nd to December 20th. Coats can vary from size to color, just make sure it is not overused (ex: broken zipper). This donation would be a huge help to families that are cold over the winter. Remember: Recycle, Reuse, and Keep Someone Warm This Winter!!!!