DMS Delivers

Dear DMS Families,

I am thrilled to open our doors to both returning students and those joining us for the very first time. Middle school is an exciting time filled with new friendships, new challenges, and countless opportunities to learn and grow. Our staff has been working hard to prepare for your arrival, and we cannot wait to see the energy and curiosity you bring with you on Wednesday, September 3.

To help make your first day a smooth and successful one, here are a few helpful tips:

Get a good night's rest: A good night's sleep will help you feel rested and ready to make the most of your first day.
Bring a charged Chromebook (if one has been issued) so you’re ready for learning.
Pack a water bottle and a healthy lunch to keep your energy up throughout the day.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Teachers, staff, and even fellow students are here to help.
Come with a positive attitude. A smile and a willingness to try can make all the difference.

Most importantly, remember that no one expects you to know everything on the first day. We’re here to guide you, support you, and celebrate your successes—big and small—throughout the year.

Together, we are going to make this year a memorable one filled with growth, discovery, and achievement. I am proud to call you part of the Dighton Middle School Family, and I can’t wait to see all the amazing things you will accomplish.

Here’s to a fantastic first day and an incredible school year ahead!

With excitement,

Dr. Cheryl Leandro, Principal cleandro@drregional.org

Mr. Sean Kinney, Assistant Principal skinney@drregional.org

#WeAreDR #DT2030 #EIS

Principal: Dr. Cheryl Leandro

Assistant Principal: Mr. Sean Kinney

Office Clerks: Karen Alves and Jessica Rapoza

Nurse: Denise Wilkins

Guidance and 504 Coordinator: Aaron Andrade

School Adjustment Counselor: Jennifer DeMatos

School Psychologist Samantha Quinn

Sped Secretary: Allison Hanson

Special Education Coordinator: Gloria Monte

You can reach any DR staff member by email utilizing this format for their email address: staff member's first initial and last name followed by @drregional.org

For example, if you wanted to email Dr. Cheryl Leandro you could do so by typing in the email address: cleandro@drregional.org

As Superintendent Runey shared in an email earlier, we’re excited about the October launch of ParentSquare, which will be our new tool for safe and simple school-to-home communication. 📲

Families will get an email invite on Tuesday, September 2, 2025—be sure to activate your account to stay connected! Once staff members are trained throughout September, we will notify families of the official launch. Questions? Email ParentSquare@drregional.org. #WeAreDR #DT2030 #EIS

Student schedules will be available in ASPEN on August 23rd. You will need to log into the Aspen Portal to view your child's schedule for the 25-26 School Year.

Please follow the route outlined below if you are dropping off or picking up your student from DMS.

DMS Bus Routes can be found here. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to our secretaries via email at: kalves@drregional.org or jrapoza@drregional.org

Dighton Middle School's instructional day begins at 8:15 a.m. Students may enter the building starting at 7:45 a.m.

The school day ends at 2:30 p.m. and dismissal will proceed according to prearranged locations.

If your child will need to take medication during the school day, please ensure the following steps are taken:

✅All required forms are completed

✅A doctor's note is submitted to the school health office.

✅Prescription medications must be provided in their original packaging, clearly labeled with the student’s name, the name of the medication, and the correct dosage.

🚫 Medications cannot be transported to school by students. We kindly ask that parents or guardians contact the school health office to arrange an appropriate time to drop off any necessary medications. You can reach her at dwilkins@drregional.org

We appreciate your partnership in supporting the health and well-being of all students.

⭐Health & Medical Updates⭐

If your child has had a recent physical exam or updated medication orders, please be sure to forward that documentation to the school health office as soon as possible

We kindly ask that you and your child take some time to review our Student Handbook together. You can view the student handbook by clicking here. If you have any questions or need clarification, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We're happy to support you.

Our student information system has a section called "Permissions" that needs to be completed by all new families, and reviewed by returning families. Please be sure to log into your Aspen account and select your "Permissions" for each of your children.

Each grade level has created a list of recommended school supplies to help students feel prepared and confident for the year ahead. These supply lists can be found here.

Backpacks & School Supplies Available

We are fortunate that the Greater Attleboro Council for Children has once again shown their generosity by donating backpacks and school supplies to support our students. These resources help ensure that every student starts the school year feeling prepared and confident. If your student would benefit from receiving a backpack or supplies, please reach out to Dr. Leandro or Mr. Kinney, who will be happy to assist. We will respect your confidentiality through this process.

Rising Grade 5: Students may choose between reading a book or keeping an experience journal centered around the theme "Experiences."

Rising Grade 6: Students will select a book related to the theme "Tolerance" and complete a brief reading reflection.

Rising Grade 7: Students will read Hatchet by Gary Paulsen and answer comprehension questions. All materials can be accessed through the Grade 7 Summer Reading Google Classroom.

Rising Grade 8: Students will read Uglies by Scott Westerfeld and complete an evidence log. Materials are available on the Grade 8 Summer Reading Google Classroom.

Both Grade 7 and Grade 8 novels will be incorporated into students’ beginning-of-year writing assessments, so timely completion is especially important.

All materials, instructions, and book lists can be accessed on the Summer Reading Website Link

Whitson Culinary Group's Welcome Back Letter

We’re pleased to share that school breakfast and lunch are provided free of charge to all students each day. This ensures every child has access to nutritious meals to support their learning and growth. On early release days, only breakfast will be served, so students should plan accordingly. To help families stay informed, weekly menus can be found in our family newsletter.

While meals are free, milk and water are available for purchase each day for students who would like an additional drink option with their lunch. Additionally, snacks are available for purchase in the cafeteria. Due to food allergies and intolerances, students are not permitted to buy snacks for others.

For snack and drink purchases, families are welcome to send cash or checks. However, we also offer the MySchoolBucks website and app, which many families find convenient. Through MySchoolBucks, you can create an account, reset passwords, check account balances, and deposit funds directly into your child’s meal account.

Even though meals are free, we ask all families to complete the Free & Reduced Lunch Application, as these forms directly impact school funding and grant opportunities. The application is linked below.

Breakfast and Lunch Menus will be shared once finalized.

You can add money to your child's account to purchase snacks and drinks by Clicking Here for the My School Bucks Website.

Please take a moment to fill out the Free and Reduced Lunch application, even if you don't think you qualify!

Completing the meal benefit application can:

help sustain free meals for our school(s) by increasing access to Federal funding
drive funding for educational programs in our community
help provide free summer meals to all kids, and free meals to kids in childcare in our community.

Families who qualify for free or reduced-price meals for their children can also be qualified for Sun Bucks (formerly Summer EBT) starting in the summer of 2026. Sun Bucks provides extra money for groceries during the summer months when kids aren’t in school. Your participation can help your family and your community. The information you provide is confidential. We follow strict federal rules to keep your information private.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Do I need to fill out an application for each child?

No. Use one Free and Reduced-Price School Meals Application for all students in your household. We cannot approve an application that is not complete, so be sure to fill out all required information. Return the completed application to: Erin Rezendes, 508-252-5000 x 5146 or erezendes@drregional.org

SHOULD I FILL OUT AN APPLICATION IF I RECEIVED A LETTER THIS SCHOOL YEAR SAYING MY CHILDREN ARE ALREADY APPROVED FOR FREE MEALS?

No, but please read the letter you got carefully and follow the instructions. If any children in your household were missing from your eligibility notification, contact Erin Rezendes, 508-252-5000 x 5146 or erezendes@drregional.org immediately.

MY CHILD’S APPLICATION WAS APPROVED LAST YEAR. DO I NEED TO FILL OUT A NEW ONE?

Yes. Your child’s application is only good for that school year and for the first few days of this school year. You must send in a new application unless the school told you that your child is eligible for the new school year.

May I apply if someone in my household is not a U.S. citizen?

Yes. You, your children, or other household members do not have to be U.S. citizens to apply for free or reduced-price meals.

Who qualifies for free or reduced-price meals?

All students in our schools will get free breakfast and lunch at school. But only some students qualify as “eligible” for free meals. These are:

All children in households receiving benefits from MA SNAP, MA TAFDC, FDPIR, or specific categories of Medicaid are eligible for free meals.
Foster children that are under the legal responsibility of a foster care agency or court are eligible for free meals.
Children participating in their school’s Head Start program are eligible for free meals.
Children who meet the definition of homeless, runaway, or migrant are eligible for free meals.
Children may receive free or reduced price meals if your household’s income is within the limits of the Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines. Your children may qualify for free or reduced price meals if your household income falls at or below the limits on this chart.

HOW DO I KNOW IF MY CHILDREN QUALIFY AS homeless, MIGRANT, OR RUNAWAY?

Do the members of your household lack a permanent address? Are you staying together in a shelter, hotel, or other temporary housing arrangement? Does your family relocate on a seasonal basis? Are any children living with you who have chosen to leave their prior family or household? If you believe children in your household meet these descriptions and haven’t been told your children will get free meals, please call or e-mail Erin Rezendes, 508-252-5000 x 5146 or erezendes@drregional.org

GET WIC. CAN MY CHILDREN GET FREE MEALS?

Children in households participating in WIC may be eligible for free or reduced-price meals. Please send in a completed application.

Can I Apply Online?

Yes! You are encouraged to complete an online application instead of a paper application if you are able. The online application has the same requirements and will ask you for the same information as the paper application. Visit https://www.myschoolbucks.com to begin or to learn more about the online application process. Contact Erin Rezendes, 508-252-5000 x 5146 or erezendes@drregional.org

Will the information I give be checked?

Yes. We may also ask you to send written proof of the household income you report.

If I don’t qualify now, may I apply later?

Yes, you may apply at any time during the school year. For example, children with a parent or guardian who becomes unemployed may become eligible for free and reduced-price meals if the household income drops below the income limit.

What if I disagree with the school’s decision about my application?

You should talk to school officials. You also may ask for a hearing by calling or writing to Erin Rezendes, 508-252-5000 x 5146 or erezendes@drregional.org

What if my income is not always the same?

List the amount that you normally receive. For example, if you normally make $1000 each month, but you missed some work last month and only made $900, put down that you made $1000 per month. If you normally get overtime, include it, but do not include it if you only work overtime sometimes. If you have lost a job or had your hours or wages reduced, use your current income.

WHAT IF SOME HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS HAVE NO INCOME TO REPORT?

Household members may not receive some types of income we ask you to report on the application or may not receive income at all. Whenever this happens, please write a 0 in the field. However, if any income fields are left empty or blank, those will also be counted as zeroes. Please be careful when leaving income fields blank, as we will assume you meant to do so.

We are in the military. Do we report our income differently?

Your basic pay and cash bonuses must be reported as income. If you get any cash value allowances for off-base housing, food, or clothing, or receive Family Subsistence Supplemental Allowance payments, it must also be included as income. However, if your housing is part of the Military Housing Privatization Initiative, do not include your housing allowance as income. Any additional combat pay resulting from deployment is also excluded from income.

WHAT IF THERE ISN’T ENOUGH SPACE ON THE APPLICATION FOR MY FAMILY?

List any additional household members on a separate piece of paper and attach it to your application. Contact Erin Rezendes, 508-252-5000 x 5146 or erezendes@drregional.org

My family needs more help. Are there other programs we might apply for?

To find out how to apply for MA SNAP or other assistance benefits, contact your local assistance office or call the MA DTA Assistance Line at 1-877-382-2363 (press 7 to apply for SNAP).

If you have other questions or need help, call Erin Rezendes, 508-252-5000 x 5146

Free and Reduced Lunch Application

If you are a student in grades 6-8 and are interested in trying out for the DMS Soccer Team, please complete the following form by Tuesday, September 2 at 1pm. DMS Fall Soccer Tryout Form

Please note: A current physical (within 13 months of 9/1/25) must be on file in order to try out. Sign-ups and current physicals are required to try out - no walk-ons will be allowed at tryouts. Physicals can be sent to our school nurse Denise Wilkins at dwilkins@drregional.org or faxed to 508-669-4210.