Dewey's Details: Caregiver Update

Dear Dutile Caregivers,

Friday night’s Trunk or Treat was another wonderful example of our school community coming together to create something special for our students! Thank you to our PTO, volunteers, and all the families and staff who decorated trunks and helped make the evening so much fun. There were so many creative themes, decorations, and spooky surprises, and it was great to see our students enjoying the night together!

A special thank-you to Nicole Spoto for helping everything run smoothly and bringing her giant skeleton from home to add to the fun! We appreciate the time and effort she and so many others put into making this a memorable evening for our families.

As we look ahead, please remember that Caregiver-Teacher Conferences are this Thursday, October 29. We look forward to connecting with you about your child’s progress and continuing our work together to support their learning and growth.

Wishing everyone a wonderful week ahead!

~ Scott Middlemiss, Principal

As you can see from the picture, Mrs. Fonseca and I had a memorable Friday! Our two top Walk-a-Thon fundraisers, both first graders, earned the chance to pie the principals...and they certainly made the most of it! The PTO added some pie filling to the whipped cream this year, so we got the full experience!

We were happy to help celebrate our students’ fundraising efforts, even if it meant getting a little messy! Thank you again to our PTO and all our students and families for making this year’s Walk-a-Thon such a success. Walk-a-Thon T-shirt prizes are still on the way, so stay tuned for those!

We’re looking forward to connecting with our Dutile families! As a reminder, Caregiver–Teacher Conferences will be held on Thursday, October 29, 2026, with afternoon and evening sessions.

Please arrive on time for your scheduled conference to help teachers stay on schedule throughout the day. We value these conversations and the opportunity to work together to support your child’s growth and success!

We want every family to feel comfortable participating in these conversations. If you would like an interpreter to join your conference, please let your child’s classroom teacher and Mr. Middlemiss know as soon as possible so we can make arrangements.

How to sign up:

Conference sign-up links and information were shared with all caregivers via email and posted on our Facebook page on Monday, October 19. Sign-up links will close tonight, Sunday, October 25, at 8:00 PM. Please schedule your conference before then so teachers have time to organize and prepare for Thursday’s conferences.

Thank you for your continued partnership and for working together with us to support your child’s learning and growth!

Please click here to be directed to the caregiver-teacher conference links that are organized by educator names. Again, sign-up links will close tonight, Sunday, October 25, at 8:00 PM.

As the holiday season approaches, we recognize that this time of year can bring additional financial challenges for some families. At the Dutile School, we care deeply about our school community and want to do what we can to support families who may need a little extra assistance during the holiday season.

If your family could benefit from additional support, we encourage you to complete the confidential Holiday Assistance Google Form linked below. A member of our Social Emotional Learning (SEL) team may reach out to gather additional information and discuss available resources.

Please know that all information shared will be kept confidential. While we hope to assist as many families as possible, support will depend on available resources and cannot be guaranteed. We are grateful to be part of such a caring and supportive school community and want every family to know that they are valued and supported.

Please select your preferred language to complete the confidential form:

Holiday Assistance (English)

Holiday Assistance (Spanish)

Holiday Assistance (Portuguese)

I wanted to share our Spring MCAS testing schedule with you now so that you can plan ahead and avoid scheduling appointments, vacations, or other activities on these dates, if possible. Ensuring students are present, well-rested, and ready for the assessments makes a big difference.

MCAS TESTING DATES:

ELA

• Grade 3 ELA MCAS: Monday, March 29, 2027 & Tuesday, March 30, 2027

• Grade 4 ELA MCAS: Wednesday, March 31, 2027 & Thursday, April 1, 2027

Mathematics

• Grade 3 Math MCAS: Monday, May 10, 2027 & Tuesday, May 11, 2027

• Grade 4 Math MCAS: Wednesday, May 12, 2027 & Thursday, May 13, 2027

We recognize that things do come up, but your help in avoiding planned absences on testing days is greatly appreciated. If your child has an unavoidable appointment or absence, please let us know.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership!

We wanted to share an important update regarding student snacks. Unfortunately, we are no longer able to provide extra snacks through the nurse’s office. We understand that this may be an inconvenience for some families, but we kindly ask that caregivers make sure their child comes to school each day with a snack to enjoy during their scheduled snack time before lunch.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in helping ensure that all students have what they need to stay energized and ready to learn throughout the school day. Thank you for your support!

Get Involved with the Dutile PTO!
The Dutile PTO is already planning exciting events for the 2026–2027 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!

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.

If your child will be absent or tardy, please call the Dutile Attendance Line at 978-528-8530 before 7:55 AM on the day of the absence.

This line is available 24 hours a day, so you may leave a message at any time. After the greeting, please provide the requested information about your child.

If your child is not in school by 8:05 AM and we have not received a call or email from you, we will reach out to confirm your child’s whereabouts.

For your convenience, you can click here for a printable version of this information.

For the safety and smooth dismissal of all students, please send any written notes regarding a change to your child’s dismissal plan to the classroom teacher on or before the day of the change.

Please do not email teachers with same-day or last-minute dismissal changes, as teachers are busy with students throughout the school day and may not see your message before dismissal.

If an unexpected or emergency change arises during the school day, particularly after 1:00 p.m., please call the school office directly. This allows us to make sure your child and the appropriate staff members receive the updated information before dismissal begins.

Thank you for helping us keep our dismissal process safe, efficient, and well-coordinated for all students!

Strong communication and close collaboration between home and school are essential to every child’s success. To support this partnership, we’ve put together some simple guidelines to help you know who to contact when you have a question, concern, or need assistance.

At the Dutile School, we take a team-based approach to problem-solving. Depending on the situation, several staff members may work together to provide support and determine the best next steps. While we always do our best to respond as quickly as possible, please keep in mind that teachers and staff are often working directly with students or participating in meetings throughout the school day.

To make communication as easy and efficient as possible, we’ve created a quick reference guide outlining who to contact in a variety of situations.

👉 [Click here to view the document]

Ms. Oestreicher is creating a Fit with Fam bulletin board to celebrate families staying active and healthy together. Families are invited to submit photos of their student(s) with family or friends doing something active or healthy. Photos will be printed and displayed at school. By submitting a photo, you give permission for it to be printed and displayed on the school’s Fit with Fam bulletin board. Use this link to submit throughout the school year!

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

Thursday, October 29, 2026

• EARLY RELEASE DAY!
• Dismissal @ 12:05 PM
• 12:20 PM - 2:20 PM: Caregiver-Teacher Conferences Afternoon Session
• 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM: Caregiver-Teacher Conferences Evening Session

Tuesday, November 3, 2026

• NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS: Election Day!

Wednesday, November 11, 2026

• NO SCHOOL: Veterans Day

Wednesday, November 25, 2026

• HALF-DAY: Thanksgiving Break Begins
• Dismissal @ 11:00 AM

Thursday, November 26, 2026

• NO SCHOOL: Thanksgiving Break

Friday, November 27, 2026

• NO SCHOOL: Thanksgiving Break

Wednesday, December 2, 2026

• EARLY RELEASE DAY!
• Dismissal @ 12:05 PM

Wednesday, December 23, 2026

• HALF-DAY: Winter Break Begins
• Dismissal @ 11:00 AM

Thursday, December 24, 2026 - Sunday, January 3, 2027

• NO SCHOOL: Winter Break

Massachusetts Partnerships for Youth, Inc. is inviting students to participate in its 2026–2027 Poster and Public Service Announcement (PSA) Project! This year’s theme, “Help You, Help Me, Help Us,” encourages students to celebrate teamwork, kindness, friendship, inclusion, and the power of working together to make a positive difference.

Students are encouraged to get creative and share their vision of how helping one another can build stronger, more connected communities. Whether through artwork or video, this is a great opportunity for students to showcase their creativity and spread a positive message!

Important Dates:

• Poster Submission Deadline: January 29, 2027
• PSA Submission Deadline: April 9, 2027

Families interested in learning more about the project, including submission guidelines and contest rules, are encouraged to visit the Massachusetts Partnerships for Youth website.

We would love to see some of our Dutile students participate!

The Billerica Scholarship Committee invites families and community members to join them for their annual Trivia Night on Friday, February 5, 2027, at the Billerica Lodge of Elks!

This year's theme is "Battle of the Decades!" Gather your friends, form a team, and get ready for a fun-filled evening of trivia, prizes, and friendly competition—all while supporting Billerica's graduating seniors!

This event is the committee's largest fundraiser of the year. Last year, the committee awarded an incredible $189,650 in scholarships to the Class of 2026!

Interested in participating or supporting this great cause? Click here to register online!

For questions or more information, please contact Alyssa Bartlett at BillericaScholarship@gmail.com.

Join the fun and help support the future of Billerica's students!