Dighton Elementary School
EAGLE NEWS! SOARING TO SUCCESS!
Dear DES Families,
We are so excited that August is here, and we will be starting the 2022-2023 school year soon! The first day of school for students in grades 1-4 is Wednesday, September 7th, followed by the first day of preschool and kindergarten on Tuesday, September 13th. Planning and preparations are well underway for an incredible year ahead.
This summer has been a very busy one at DES. Our custodians (Jim, Vinnie, Christian, & Kyle), along with our administrative assistant, Mrs.Calderia and Mrs. Hanify, and our technology assistant Jim Pauly, have completed a lot of the usual summer projects, and then some! We want to thank them for their extensive efforts. So far, the following projects have been accomplished this summer:
- cleaning, stripping, and waxing of the floors in hallways, classrooms, and common areas
- professional cleaning of carpeted spaces and area rugs throughout the building
- relocation and reconfiguration of eleven classrooms/offices within the school building
- painting interior spaces where needed
- installation of interactive projectors in several classroom spaces
- reconfiguration/rewiring of the computer lab
- distribution of chromebooks via a charging cart in each classroom- we are now officially a "one-to-one" school in terms of technology and student access to personal chromebook devices
- update to the student information system to begin the work of assigning students to new classrooms
- ordering supplies, materials, and furniture for the upcoming school year
- hiring and onboarding of seven new staff members
Please read on to learn about a few more exciting items for the upcoming school year, including upcoming calendar dates. Please contact us by phone or email anytime. We are happy to help.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Lynn Dessert, Principal
email: ldessert@drregional.org
Mrs. Katelyn Lima, Assistant Principal
email: klima@drregional.org
phone: 508-669-4245
#WeAreDR!
Superintendent Message
Please see Superintendent Runey’s Back to School message about safety, security, communication, and COVID updates by clicking here.
Communication
As you will see in the Superintendent’s Message, we are very excited about the enhanced communication that you will see this year. Not only will it help us celebrate our amazing school and show that We Are DR, but it will also increase the level of safety and security.
For those on Facebook, you can follow us by clicking here.
Having updated emails and cell phone numbers in Aspen are crucial in our communications with you. Please contact the office should you need to update this information.
Upcoming Calendar Dates for DES
- New Student Orientation for Students in Grades 1-4: Monday, August 29that 10:00-11:00am
- First Day of School for Grades 1-4: Wednesday, September 7th
- Kindergarten Screening Appointments: Wednesday, September 7th to Friday, September 9th
- Kindergarten Open House: Monday, September 12th at 11:00-1:00pm
- First Day of School for Preschool and Kindergarten: Tuesday, September 13th
- Early Release/No PM Preschool: Wednesday, September 21st with a 12:20pm dismissal
- Parent/Guardian Open House for Grades 1-4: Thursday, September 22nd from 5-7pm
Welcome New Staff
Meet Mrs. Damiani!
My name is Melissa Damiani and I am excited to be working with the 4th grade team at Dighton Elementary School this school year. I am an experienced educator with over 20 years in the classroom and a Masters Degree in Elementary Education. I am passionate about teaching and strive to create a strong learning community in my classroom. I enjoy seeing my students grow and
develop as individuals. My goal is to have a positive impact on each student that enters my classroom. I'm looking forward to a wonderful school year!
Meet Shira Pascal!
My name is Shira Pascal and I am the new Pre- K teacher for Dighton Elementary School. Before working for Dighton Rehoboth, I taught kindergarten for 3 years in Plymouth, MA then I taught preschool for 1 year in East Providence, RI. I graduated from Bridgewater State University in 2018 with a bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Pre- K to 2nd grade with and without disabilities and a bachelor’s degree in psychology. I am starting my masters degree in Special Education at American International College this fall. I am incredibly excited for this opportunity to work in a DR and can not wait to get this school year started!
Classroom Assignment Letters
In an effort to streamline and enhance our communication across the district, we sent the teacher assignments via email. If you require a hard copy of your child's class placement and the optional school supply list for your child's grade, please call the school office at 508-252-5100 to make this request. Please expect to receive an email with a teacher assignment letter.
Transportation
We rely on the bus vendor to create the bus routes. By next Wednesday afternoon, we expect to share them. Stay tuned for an email with more details.
Morning Drop OFF reminders:
Please do not arrive before 8:40 am to drop off your child.
The actual drop off will be at the gym door.
Please do not stop directly in front of the doors.
Please remain in your vehicle. ( only exception would be kindergarten students who need assistance. This is a great opportunity to teach your child how to safely buckle up!)
Please pull up far enough so that at least 6 cars can drop off at the same time. This might help speed up the traffic jam.
Please do not cut over and cross into the second lane of traffic!
Early Dismissal Procedures
Dismissing your child before the school days ends for an appointment:
Please submit a letter to the school if for some reason you need to dismiss your child early in the day due to an appointment.
Change in Transportation at the end of the day:
Please remember if you need to change your child’s after school plans please call the office prior to 2pm. Anytime after 2:00 pm poses a safety concern and we can NOT ensure that the student's dismissal will be changed.
Parent Pick UP reminders:
Please do not arrive at the school parking area until 3:00 due to the time change at Dighton Middle School
QR code will be turned on 3:00
Students will not be dismissed until 3:20
Please continue to move according with the traffic flow
Please do not stop directly in front of the doors.
Please pull up far enough so that at least 6 cars can pick up at the same time. This might help speed up the traffic jam.
Please remain in your vehicle ( only exception would be kindergarten students who need assistance. This is a great opportunity to teach your child how to safely buckle up!)
Please do not cut over and cross into the second lane of traffic!
Free School Meals Will Continue Through the 2022-2023 School Year!
Universal Free School Meals has been extended in Massachusetts for the 2022-2023 school year! There will be no cost to families for students to receive breakfast and lunch at DES. Although meals will be available to all students at no cost, we continue to ask all families to complete eligibility paperwork which can be found below. School funding and competitive grants at the state and national level are dependent on accurately capturing our student population, and the completion of this confidential paperwork is important for our school and our district. If you need assistance on completing the form please contact the main office.
Staff Recognition
The Central Office team wants to celebrate the passion and dedication of our outstanding staff members. In order to fund a district-wide staff , the Superintendent is seeking sponsors for this program. Please click here to see how you can sponsor as an individual or a business.
Follow DES and DR Regional Schools on Social Media!
Also, you don't need to join Social Media to see the amazing things going on at our school and in our district! Our district hashtag is #WeAreDR, and If you enter this hashtag in an online search, you will be able to see the AMAZING things going on in our school and district!
Dighton Elementary School
The Dighton-Rehoboth Regional School District
#WeAreDR!
Website: https://des.drregional.org/
Location: 1250 Somerset Ave, Dighton MA 02715
Phone: 508 669-4245 FAX 508-669-4248
Dighton Rehoboth Regional School District does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, marital status, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other legally protected grou