The Weekly Buzz 🐝

Dear Families,

We hope this message finds you well and settling back into the school routine after the winter break. As we embrace the new year, we wanted to share some important information regarding our ongoing efforts to support your child's academic growth at Palmer River Elementary School.

Every year, students in grades K-4 participate in assessments several times using screening tools in literacy and mathematics. These assessments play a crucial role in monitoring progress towards grade-level benchmarks and meeting state learning standards. They also guide our teachers in tailoring their instruction to address specific areas of focus for each student.

At this juncture in the school year, our teachers have completed the beginning-of-the-year assessments and our first round of progress monitoring, and are now actively identifying students who would benefit from targeted interventions and enrichment. We follow a data-driven process, which in the past has been referred to as Response to Intervention (RtI) and more recently as Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), encompassing the social, emotional, and behavioral needs of the whole child.

We continue to dedicate time in our master schedule to a grade level common intervention and enrichment block (CIB) for thirty minutes each day. This dedicated time in our schedule allows us to adopt an "all hands on deck" approach to supporting all students. During each grade level's CIB, we focus on intervention and enrichment in reading and writing, ensuring consistent support for all students in smaller instructional groups at their "just right" level. Teachers can specialize in areas where they are most effective, providing higher-quality instruction to our students.

Collaboration is key in this process. Reading specialists, general and special education teachers, as well as paraprofessionals, work together to identify, support, and instruct students in areas of academic priority, highlighted by our assessments. Our shared goal is to help students acquire essential skills and move beyond their current performance level.

During the CIB block, students will be grouped according to their specific needs. Some students may work with a different teacher than their homeroom teacher during this time, and the staff supporting your child may change throughout the school year. This flexibility allows us to be responsive to student needs, continuously monitor progress, and adjust our instructional focus as needed.

If your child requires additional support beyond the common intervention block, your child's classroom teacher will reach out to discuss other necessary interventions. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us at any time. We are here to help and collaborate in ensuring the success of each student.

Thank you for your ongoing support and partnership in your child's education.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Kristine Kefor, Principal & Dr. Cheryl Leandro, Assistant Principal

email: kkefor@drregional.org & cleandro@drregional.org

phone: 508-252-5100

Please email Dr. Juanita DiGioia (mjdigioia@drregional.org) if you are interested in serving on this committee.

About the Wellness Committee

The Wellness Committee is a group of dedicated individuals, including representatives from various school health and health-related disciplines, community agencies, parents, students, and the school committee. Our primary goal is to recommend, review, and help implement school district policies addressing school nutrition, nutrition education, physical activity, and related issues affecting student health.

Committee Functions

• Recommend and/or review district-wide policies promoting student wellness, including health education, school nutrition, physical education, and opportunities for physical activity.

• Develop annual goals and objectives that are observable and measurable.

• Provide an action plan detailing ways the committee can collaborate with the school district and personnel to achieve annual goals.

• Evaluate progress toward goals, assess accomplishments, and identify areas needing attention.

Meeting Schedule

All meetings will be held from 4 pm to 5 pm at the high school (exact meeting location TBD)

• February 6

• March 26

• April 23

• May 21

• June 11

Due to the school cancellation day for power loss due to inclement weather on December 19, 2023, the Rehoboth Campus, which includes Beckwith Middle School and Palmer River Elementary School, will be required by the state to make up this missed school day.

Therefore, unless there are any additional school closures, the new last day of school for the Rehoboth Campus will be June 20th. In the event of any further school cancellations, the last day of school will once again be adjusted accordingly.

This year, PRES is teaming up with George Family Orthodontics for an exciting Reading Rocks contest! All the contest details are outlined below. This event will run throughout January. Students will be given tally sheets in class (see attached PDF) starting January 2nd and are expected to return them by Wednesday, January 31st. The winners will be announced in February.

• No School to Observe Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day: Monday January 15th
• BCSB Banking Visit for 3rd and 4th Grade: Thursday, January 18th
• PRES School Council Meeting: Thursday, January 23rd at 3:35pm
• You and Me Dance at DRRHS: Saturday, February 3rd
• PTSA February Meeting: Thursday, February 8th at 6:30pm (in the BMS cafeteria)
• Parent Teacher Conferences (as needed): Thursday, February 15th
• February School Vacation Week: Monday, February 19th to Friday, February 23rd
• Preschool Closed due to Screenings-No School for Preschool: February 26th-March 1st
• Early Release and No PM Preschool/Professional Development Day: Wednesday, March 6th
• Incoming Kindergarten Info Night: Thursday, March 7th at 6:00pm

Please click THIS LINK to view a printable PDF of January's Lunch Menu.

The Dighton-Rehoboth Regional School District

Website: https://pres.drregional.org/

Location: 326 Winthrop Street, Rehoboth, MA 02769

Phone: 508-252-5100/Fax: 508-252-5110

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 group.