Weekly Tiger Roar

Wednesday, December 24-Friday, January 2- Holiday Break....NO SCHOOL!!!

Monday, January 12- STAR Testing Window Opens

Tuesday, January 13- PTO Meeting

Friday, January 16- Professional Development Day....No School!!!

Monday, January 19- Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday....No School!!!

Wednesday, January 21- DES Heart Challenge Kickoff

Friday, January 23-January 25- Recharge Weekend

Monday, February 16- February 20- Winter Break

Monday, April 20- April 24- Spring Break

In March, 2024, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) released updated guidelines for the management of common viral respiratory illnesses such as RSV, the flu and Covid-19. The new guidance brings a unified approach to the management of these illnesses and no longer recommends a specific period of isolation.

Please DO NOT send your child to school if they exhibit any of the following symptoms:

• Fever: 100.4 F (38 C) or higher

• Cough: Persistent or severe; wheezing; shortness of breath

• Sore throat (not related to seasonal allergies): especially if accompanied by a fever

• Body aches not related to a known injury or activity

• Nausea and/or vomiting

• Diarrhea that is not attributable to a known cause, i.e. a dietary sensitivity.

• Fatigue, if significant and not attributable to a known cause such as getting to bed late or a busy weekend.

Your child CAN return to school once:

• They have been fever free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medication

AND

• They have overall improvement in their symptoms

* Please note that the 5 day isolation period for students who test positive for Covid-19 is NO LONGER in effect. Return to school and work are now based on improvement of symptoms and absence of fever (as noted above).

**For illnesses involving diarrhea and/or vomiting, PLEASE keep your child home until they have gone at least 24 hours without experiencing these symptoms.

Steps YOU Can Take to Help Prevent Illness:

• Stay up to date with vaccination: (Flu; Covid 19) to protect against serious illness and hospitalization.

• Practice good hygiene by covering coughs and sneezes, washing/sanitizing hands often and cleaning frequently touched surfaces.

• Avoid close contact with others who are sick

• Take steps for cleaner air such as bringing in more fresh outside air ,purifying indoor air and holding gatherings outside, as able.

Our school community appreciates your cooperation in following these guidelines to help our students remain healthy and productive learners. Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions.

Warm Regards,

Melanie Brundage, RN, BSN, NCSN

(508)476-4200; ext. 5

Mbrundage@douglasps.net

The Douglas Public Schools has approximately 100 surplus wood pallets available free to members of the community.

To ensure safety and avoid conflicts with school-day activities and events, pallet pickup will be available only during the following dates and times:

Week of December 29th through January 2nd

Pickups are limited to these dates and times only, as school will not be in session during this week. We kindly ask all visitors to be respectful of school property and remain mindful of the campus while on site.

Thank you for your cooperation and understanding. We are happy to share these materials with the community and appreciate your help in keeping our campus safe.

MCAS DATES (Tentative)

ELA

Grade 3: 3/30 & 4/1

Grade 4: 4/7 & 4/9

Grade 5: 4/8 & 4/10

Make-up: 4/15, 4/16, 4/17

SCIENCE

Gr. 5 (Only): 4/28 & 4/30

Make-up: 5/5 & 5/7

MATH

Grade 3: 5/5 & 5/6

Grade 4: 5/11 & 5/13

Grade 5: 5/12 & 5/14

Make-up: 5/20, 5/21, 5/22

Join us at the Douglas Public Library for a special program where kids can practice reading

aloud to Bryce, a sweet-natured whippet who loves nothing more than lying down and

listening to our young readers, hoping to earn a cookie at the end of the book.

Over the last ten years, the library has provided a welcoming space for our young readers

who struggle with reading to practice in a non-judgemental environment by reading to

dogs. This atmosphere creates a supportive, safe, and comfortable environment for children

so that they feel less nervous about reading aloud. These pups sit quietly by and listen

without criticism as your young reader works their way through the book of their choice.

Right now, the Douglas Library is fortunate that Jean Riganati is kind enough to share Bryce

with us.

So if you have any young readers who struggle and are looking for a non-judgemental ear

to read to, we have 4 time slots on the third Wednesday of each month: 5:45, 6:00, 6:15,

and 6:30. Sign-ups are on a first come, first serve basis. If Bryce’s schedule is full for the

current month, we will sign you up for the following month. Contact Debbie at the library

for more information or to register. (dsoderman@cwmars.org or 508-476-2695)

With the recent loss of SNAP benefits for many families, we want to share some important resources and reminders to help support our school community.

Our schools continue to offer free, nutritious breakfast and lunch every school day for all students. You can also remind your child what’s on the menu each day—healthy meals are always available to fuel learning and growth.

In addition, families can access further food assistance through Project Bread’s FoodSource Hotline. Counselors are available in 180 languages to help connect families with programs such as the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program and local food pantries.

🔗 Visit Project Bread’s FoodSource Hotline

Together, we can make sure every child in our community has access to the healthy meals they need.

Massachusetts Partnerships for Youth (MPY) is pleased to announce its new, free MPY Parenting Solutions Library. MPY is offering the MPY Parenting Solutions Library in partnership with Peace At Home Parenting Solutions, a non-profit located in Mansfield, Connecticut.

Peace At Home Parenting Solutions is a dynamic hub of trusted knowledge and compassionate support that inspires parents to create positive change for their children, their families and themselves. Peace At Home Parenting Solutions specializes in empowering parents with evidence-based strategies to foster nurturing connections that safeguard their children's mental well-being.

With more than 30 specialists focused on child and adolescent development, including specific issues such as difficulties in school, mental health challenges, neurodiversity, LGBTQ+ identity formation, handling racism, navigating grief, and other matters parents and our partners identify.

The 24 library presentations focus on the topics below. Each presentation includes a 10-minute videos and handouts.

· Inspire School Success for Elementary, Middle and High School Students

· Parenting Principles for Progress Not Perfection

· Mental Health Knowledge and Skills

· Support Your Anxious Child Library

· ADHD and Autism: How to Help Your Child Thrive

The Home Parenting Library may easily be accessed using the link on MPY’s home page (www.mpyinc.org). No log in or passcode is needed.

We are committed to the well-being of our students, staff, and families to create a safe and healthy learning environment. In support of our ongoing commitment, we partnered with Care Solace to provide an additional layer of care for our community.

Care Solace helps individuals find mental health care providers and substance use treatment centers. Their Care Companion™ team is available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, and 365 days per year to quickly connect you to carefully verified providers in your community.

Students, staff, and families may access Care Solace services in two ways:

• Call (888) 515-0595 at any time. Support is available in 200+ languages. A dedicated Care Companion™ will help you every step of the way to research options, secure appointments, and follow up to make sure it is a good fit.

• For an anonymous search, answer a few questions to get matched with an extensive list of care providers at www.caresolace.com/douglas.

Care Solace is now available for use at no cost to you. This service is available to staff, their families, students, and their families. They will connect you with providers accepting all medical insurances including Medicaid, Medicare, and sliding scale options for those without insurance. All information entered on the Care Solace tool is completely confidential and securely stored.

Please note, this service is an optional resource available by choice and is not mandatory to use. Care Solace is not an emergency response service or mental health services provider. In the event of a life threatening emergency, please call 9-1-1 or the National Suicide Hotline 1-800-273-8255.

If you are interested in counseling-related services for your child, yourself, or another family member, please contact Care Solace for valuable assistance. This is a complimentary resource provided by Douglas Public Schools.

Email: khaynes@douglasps.net

Website: https://es.douglasps.net/
Location: 19 Davis Street, Douglas, MA 01516, USA
Phone: 508-476-4200