Dear Champions of Education,
In light of the tragic shootings in Lewiston, the Maine Department of Education (DOE) has pulled together some initial resources for talking to children about violence and shootings and supporting one another. The Maine DOE will be providing additional resources as we learn more.
Talking to Children
Provide a short statement of fact: Violence took place in our community and many people were hurt. Students are safe here. You are safe. There are people here who can help you.
Early elementary school children need brief, simple information that should be balanced with reassurances that their school and homes are safe and that adults are there to protect them. Give simple examples of school safety like reminding children about exterior doors being locked, child monitoring efforts on the playground, and emergency drills practiced during the school day.
Upper elementary and early middle school children will be more vocal in asking questions about whether they truly are safe and what is being done at their school. They may need assistance processing the incident. Discuss efforts of school and community leaders to ensure their safety.
Upper middle school and high school students will have strong and varying opinions about the causes of violence in society. They will share concrete suggestions about how to prevent tragedies in society. Emphasize the role that students have in maintaining safe communities and schools, communicating any personal safety concerns to school administrators and parents/guardians, and accessing support for emotional needs.
Mental Health First Aid
Monitor and assess impact: Students and colleagues will be affected in different ways. We do not know how this event has affected people – directly and/or indirectly. Continue to assess impact of the event on those around you.
Be mindful of self-regulation to assist youth in maintaining a level of safety and connection.
If you are an educator in need of additional support, The FrontLine WarmLine is also available from 8am to 8pm, 7 days a week by calling 207-221-8196 or texting 898-211.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call 988.
More Resources: https://mailchi.mp/maine/cu5lemq6y0-1326812?e=7089ed9b06
DIRIGO ATHLETICS UPDATE:
Per district policy, when school is closed, all practices and events are canceled. Therefore, all practices and events have been canceled for Thursday, October 26, 2023.
Please remain safe Cougars, emotionally and physically.
This is a very difficult morning. We want to share some resources for parents and guardians seeking advice regarding their conversations with children of different ages about the tragedy in Lewiston. The school will be following our Comprehensive Emergency Plan and making preparations based on the information we receive from this fluid situation.
US Department of Health and Human Services Tips for Talking to Children and Youth After Traumatic Events: https://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/tips-talking-to-children-after-traumatic-event.pdf
National Association of School Psychologists' Talking to Children About Violence: https://www.nasponline.org/resources-and-publications/resources-and-podcasts/school-safety-and-crisis/school-violence-resources/talking-to-children-about-violence-tips-for-families-and-educators
Our schools will be closed in RSU 56 today, Thursday, October 26 due to the tragedy in Lewiston. We realize that some in our RSU 56 community have loved ones affected by this horrible event, including first responders and those caring for the injured. You are in our thoughts and prayers.
Good Evening! Tonight's School board meeting is being live streamed tonight at 6:30pm - https://www.youtube.com/live/Mhjf0CacXuY?si=xhraPdhqgY07EklU
The Scholastic Book Fair is coming! SAVE THE DATE for October 30th-November 3rd and get ready to empower your reader with book choice. Start exploring together: https://www.scholastic.com/bf/twkdms
Don't forget to set up your student's eWallet account for cashless, stress-less shopping. Friends and family can even contribute funds! Setup your student's eWallet with the link above.
#ScholasticBookFairs
Signups start online at 6:00 a.m. on Wednesday (10/25) for TWKDMS Parent Teacher Conferences held on 11/2, 4:00-7:00 p.m., and 11/8, 3:00-6:00. Sessions will be scheduled on a first-come-first-served basis. The link will not work on a cell phone until it goes live Wednesday morning. Attached is a QR code to the signup website, also viewable at: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/TWKDMS2023
Do you (or someone you know) have unstable housing?
Is your housing unstable? Check out this video for critical information about how your local school can help!
https://youtu.be/Pm07O7aEGUs?si=xI55ncfCakhhBk0E
This is Spirit Week at DMS!
Monday is Amazing Monday: Dress up as a superhero
Tuesday is Twin/Triplet Tuesday: Dress up as your friend(s).
Wednesday - Wacky Hair Wednesday: The wackier, the better.
Thursday - Throwback Thursday: 6th Grade = 60s, 7th Grade= 70s, 8th Grade = 80s
Friday - Cougar Colors (6th Grade- Blue) (7th Grade- White) (8th Grade- Black)
The dates for TWKDMS Parent Teacher Conferences will be Thursday, November 2, from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., and Wednesday, November 8, from 3:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m.
Conferences are by appointment only, scheduled on a first-come first-served basis using software called SignUp Genius (more on that below). Both evenings are in-person. In addition to conferences, the Scholastic Book Fair at TWKDMS will have evening hours on November 2nd for those interested.
Sign-ups for conferences will start at 6:00 a.m. on Wednesday, October 25, 2023, and close at 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 1, 2023. The link for online signups will be posted here. Parents and guardians can also call the school right up until noon on Wednesday, November 1, 2023, and we will complete the online form for you to schedule a conference.
The following is an explanation for those who might be interested: We have tried lots of different ways to schedule conferences, and we have found that nothing is perfect. Due to numbers, middle school conferences are different from the elementary model. All 6th-grade teachers have all 6th-grade students, so there are not enough spots for all parents to see all teachers for all kids. The fairest way to manage this is to have first-come first-served signups. If there is a situation where a teacher has all "spots" filled and you want a meeting with them, please call the school and the teacher will make arrangements to connect with you at another time. This is also true with 7th and 8th grade teachers, as most of those teachers have around 100 students that they work with. There was a time when we tried having all parents only meet with homeroom advisors following a signup process with spots-for-all more like the elementary school, but the feedback was that parents/guardians wanted the freedom to speak with teachers more than homeroom advisors. As I said, we will open the online signups at 6:00 a.m. on Wednesday. Go Cougars!
Student Council's Dance tomorrow from 6:30-9:00. Students must be eligible to attend. It is Halloween-themed, but costumes are not required. Any costume must be totally school-appropriate and obviously no weapon-looking costume items will be allowed. Students must be in school (and not tardy) to attend a dance unless a field trip form or a doctor's note accompanies the excused absence. Go Cougars!
Due to the extreme heat, our Fall Athletic meeting at 5:00 PM, and our Open House at 5:30 PM, there will be NO DMS practices for soccer, field hockey, or cross-country running today.
Good Morning! We are currently experiencing an outage for our Phone provider, so our incoming phone lines are not working. If you need to get a message to us, you can email the following people:
Central Office: tcox@rsu56.org
Dirigo High School: acalden@rsu56.org
Dirigo Middle School: lsanborn@rsu56.org
Dirigo Elementary School: paverill@rsu56.org
Meeting Reminder: The Annual RSU 56 Budget Meeting is on Tuesday, May 23, 2023, at 6:30 pm. The budget documents can be found on our website at the following address: https://www.rsu56.org/page/budget-23-24
Good Morning from RSU 56. Due to many roads being flooded and the water still rising, we will be having a remote school day in RSU 56 today, May 1, 2023. We apologize for the late notice.
Good Morning from RSU 56. We will have a 1 hour delay today, May 1st 2023, due to the rain storm and water on some roads.
RSU56 Board Meeting 4/25/2023
https://www.youtube.com/live/OkI9fQFq9gg?feature=share
RSU 56 Civil Rights Committee Meeting Upcoming - April 13, 2023, in the Middle School Art Room from 5:00-6:30
Good Morning from RSU 56. Due to the icy conditions this morning RSU 56 will have a 1 hour delay today, April 6, 2023.
Come join us for the Drama production: Lady Pirates of the Caribbean
When: April 6 & 7 at 6PM
Where: Dirigo High School SCC
Cost: Adults $7, Students and Seniors $3
