DMS Delivers

Dear DMS Families,

As we move into next week, the Scholastic Book Fair will continue in Library class, and students can purchase from the Book Fair during that time. There is more information on the book fair below, but if you have further questions as we move forward, please reach out to Mrs. Hayden at mhayden@drregional.org. If your child does not take Library class this year, they will have an opportunity to purchase items during their lunch/recess time if they wish. There will also be a Scholastic Family Night on Friday, November 15th from 4:00- 6:00 p.m. in the DMS Library.

In addition, picture retakes will take place on the morning of Wednesday, November 13th. If you and your child are happy with the original photos, you are all set and do not need to worry about anything on retake day. If your child would like to participate in picture retakes, however, they should bring their current package of photos (if already ordered), and hand them in when they get their retake. Students will not be able to get a retake/replacement package without following this process. You can find more details below regarding picture retake day.

Below, you will also find further information on The Sandy Hook Promise, DRRHS Theater Auditions and holiday assistance, as well as the following PTO information: November fundraising, and the Secret Santa Workshop. You will also find information on the middle level Athletic Cap, the December SEPAC meeting, and the DMS/Feinstein Food Drive, as well as an opportunity from Habitat for Humanity and Troop 70811's Stuff the Bus.

As a reminder, there is no school on Monday, November 11th in observance of Veteran's Day! Please also find the November Wellness Newsletter here, and information on the Wellness Cookbook here.

As a last minute addition, you will find some very important yearbook information as well!

Have a great weekend!

• November 7th: Scholastic Book Fair begins- in Library Class
• November 11th: No School- Veteran's Day
• November 12th: School Committee Meeting at 6:30 p.m.
• November 13th: Picture Retake Day (see below)
• November 15th: DMS Book Fair Family Night
• November 18th: DMS School Council Meeting
• November 26th: School Committee Meeting at 6:30 p.m.
• November 27th: Early Release- Thanksgiving
• December 2nd: DR SEPAC Meeting
• December 3rd: Trimester I Ends
• December 4th: Parent Conferences 5:30- 8:00 p.m.
• December 5th: Parent Conferences- Early Release
• December 6th: Trimester I Report Cards

It has recently come to our attention that our previous school photo and yearbook vendor, LifeTouch, may be reaching out to DMS families to purchase yearbooks for the 2024- 2025 school year. Please be aware that we do not have a current contract with LifeTouch, and have moved to InterState Photography, as we have mentioned in newsletters earlier this school year. While we have not specifically received these emails at school, we have heard from families that they have received them, and are unsure why LifeTouch would be advertising the purchase of yearbooks for our school this school year. We will be sending out yearbook information from InterState Photography early next week.

As we start to move into the holiday season, we are reaching out to all families regarding holiday assistance. Please be sure to let us know if your family could benefit from any food assistance around the holidays by completing this form no later than November 20th for Thanksgiving assistance and December 13th for December holiday assistance. All requests for assistance will be kept confidential.

As a district, we have discussed the idea of implementing an Athletic Cap for middle level athletics, as has been the case at DRRHS over the years. Therefore, if your child participates in our three seasons of sports, the below will be in place for the 2024- 2025 school year.

Individual Athletic Cap: $550 per student

Family Athletic Cap: $1,000 per family

Please be advised that this does not pertain to after school ACE clubs, as those activities are self- funded. In addition, the Athletic Caps are subject to change moving into future school years.

Thank you to Mrs. Deary and our Student Government, as well as DMS students in general, for all of their work this week in honoring our Veterans.

To learn more about our upcoming Book Fair, please see below, or click on the title above to access the Scholastic web page. You can also set- up an E-Wallet through the web page as well.

Dear Families,

We hope this message finds you well. As part of our commitment to maintaining our technology resources, we wanted to inform you about our updated repair fee structure. This will go into effect on October 28, 2024. These fees help us cover the cost of repairs when school-issued devices are damaged due to misuse or carelessness. The fees are divided into three tiers, depending on the extent of the damage:

• Level 1: Charger, Cover (top or bottom), Touchpad, etc- $40
• Level 2: Keyboard, Monitor- $75
• Level 3: Total Loss/Replacement- $300

We encourage students to handle their devices with care to avoid any damage and the associated costs. If a device does require repair, the appropriate fee will be communicated to you along with the steps to resolve the issue.

Thank you for your understanding and continued support in keeping our technology in great condition!

In addition, if your child needs Chromebook repairs, you will receive an email directly from mySchoolBucks regarding payment.

Old Colony Habitat for Humanity is excited to announce that the application for our next home at 5 Chester Court in Taunton is OPEN!

Old Colony Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit organization that helps families build and improve places to call home. We believe affordable housing plays a critical role in strong and stable communities. We service 24 communities in Norfolk & Bristol counties (Assonet, Attleboro, Bellingham, Berkley, Dighton, East Freetown, Fall River, Foxboro, Franklin, Mansfield, Medfield, Medway, Millis, Norfolk, North Attleboro, Norton, Plainville, Raynham, Rehoboth, Seekonk, Somerset, Swansea, Taunton, Wrentham) and applicants must live or work in one of these towns. Our mission is to build homes, communities, and hope, as everyone deserves a safe and decent place to live. You will find more info here: https://oldcolonyhabitat.org/home-ownership/

In order to qualify for our homeowner program, applicants must (a) have a need for safe and decent housing; (b) have lived or worked in our service area for at least a year; (c) attend homeownership / financial management seminars at our offices; (d) meet the HUD median income guidelines; (e) have secure employment, good credit, legal residency, no felony convictions, and no more than one misdemeanor; (f) be able to pay a down payment; (g) demonstrate an ability to pay a mortgage on time, in full, each month; (h) willing to partner with Old Colony Habitat for Humanity by completing the required sweat equity. The requirement is 250 hours of sweat equity hours.

A Habitat partnership may be the solution for your family, if:

• You are able to make housing, taxes, and insurance payments
• Your maximum household income does not exceed 80% of the area median income
• You are unable to qualify for conventional mortgage financing for a market rate home
• You are a first-time home buyer (some exceptions may apply)
• You are a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident
• Your Household meets the income and asset limits

There are initial requirements for the application process. In order to determine eligibility, individuals should fill out this Google Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1mpz28pKlwk4ZjFoj9aekNHJ-uQYmlNWZ_xXufPvd0U0/edit?pli=1 .If the potential applicant qualifies, an application will be sent. The application deadline is Friday, December 6, 2024, at 5PM.

Please contact family@oldcolonyhabitat.org for any questions.