On behalf of the students and staff, I would like to welcome you to Dirigo Elementary School (DES). Our modern facility sits atop a hill overlooking the Androscoggin River and our sending communities of Canton, Carthage, Dixfield, and Peru. DES is part of Regional School Unit # 56, an RSU comprised of three schools; DES, T.W. Kelley Dirigo Middle School, and Dirigo High School. Dirigo Elementary School officially opened its doors in August of 2008 bringing together Dixfield Elementary School and Peru Elementary School.

We currently have approximately 365 students from Pre-K to grade five. Our teaching staff includes twenty full-time classroom teachers, four specials teachers (PE, Art, Music, Library), three full-time special education teachers, three full-time literacy specialists, and eleven education technicians. Our student- to- staff ratio is approximately 17:1, which offers our students an incredible opportunity for direct instruction and individualized attention.

We are a PBIS (Positive Behavior, Intervention and Support) School, and have integrated this philosophy into our building-wide expectations of our students. It is our belief that students will make appropriate decisions when they are given clear expectations, positive reinforcements, and consistent role modeling. We champion the 3-B’s: “Be Safe”, “Be Respectful”, and “Be Responsible”. We maintain that these three concepts are fundamental to a safe, productive and pleasurable school environment.

DES is a busy place offering a variety of events throughout the school year. Book fairs, Halloween dances, musical concerts, talent shows, field days, as well as various after-school activities are all examples of the varied opportunities we offer our students. In addition, DES has a grant-funded after-school program which runs four days a week for students in grades K-5. The after-school program, which we call Camp Cougar Cub, is a part of the Western Foothills Kids Association and provides students with a variety of academic, physical, social and enrichment activities. We believe that all of our activities are an extension of the classroom and are important for both the academic and social development of our students.

Thank you for taking the time to view our page on the RSU #56 website. If you have any questions about DES, please do not hesitate to contact us (207-562-4207).

Sincerely,
Charles C. Swan
Dirigo Elementary Principal