We hope you had an incredible summer vacation! The first day of school for grades 1-4 is Wednesday, September 7th, followed by the first day of preschool and kindergarten on Tuesday, September 13th. We can't wait to meet everyone!

This summer has been a very busy one at PRES. Our summer custodial crew has completed many of the usual summer projects and then some! From the relocation of several classrooms, to waxing every floor surface, to painting offices and hallways; our custodians accomplished so much in a short time! Mrs. Rupp, our school secretary, has been busy ordering supplies and setting up our student information system. Mr. Chan, our technology assistant, has ensured that Chromebooks are ready for every staff member and every student, and that each classroom is outfitted with technology and projection capabilities. The principals have collaborated with staff to hire and onboard eight new staff members. You can find a brief bio and photo for every new staff member below. Finally, teachers have been coming into the school since last week to set up classroom spaces, and they look amazing!

Please read on to learn about a few more exciting items for the upcoming school year, including upcoming calendar dates. If you should need help or support, please contact us by phone or email anytime. We are always happy to help. Here's to a magnificent year ahead!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Kristine Kefor, Principal

email: kkefor@drregional.org

Dr. Cheryl Leandro, Assistant Principal

email: cleandro@drregional.org

phone: 508-252-5100

#WeAreDR!

• Meet the Principals/PTSA Playground Meet Up: Tuesday, September 6th
  
• 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 12:30-1:30pm
• First Day of School for Preschool and Kindergarten: Tuesday, September 13th
• PTSA Meeting in the PRES Library: Wednesday, September 14th
• Parent/Guardian Open House for Grades 1-4: Thursday, September 15th from 5-7pm
• Early Release/No PM Preschool: Wednesday, September 21st with a 12:20pm dismissal
• PTSA 5K at DRRHS: Sunday, September 25th
• Fall School Picture Day: Thursday, September 29th

Please see Superintendent Runey’s Back to School message about safety, security, communication, and COVID updates by clicking here.

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. If you’re on Instagram, 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.

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.

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 PRES. Although meals will be available to all students at no cost, we continue to ask all families to complete eligibility paperwork. School funding and competitive grants at the state and national levels are dependent on accurately capturing our student population, and the completion of this confidential paperwork is important for our school and our district. The eligibility paperwork will be sent home with all students during the first week of school and is shared digitally below. Please complete and return to school as soon as possible.

Click the image below to be linked to the optional supply lists for each grade level.

Greetings Palmer River Families!

As we prepare for the start of school, I wanted to share a few friendly reminders. An updated doctor's order and signed parent permission slip are needed in the health office before medicines/treatments can be administered.

If you are new to this policy, you can ask your child's/childrens' physician to fax a doctor's order to the school upon request. Our facsimile is 508-252-5110. Parent permission forms may be obtained anytime at the main office or during our open house.

As a friendly reminder, all medications must arrive at our school via a parent or a designated adult. Emergency/Life-saving medications must be present in the building, including the paperwork mentioned above, when your child attends the first day of school. Safety is our number one priority ❤️.

I am looking forward to a un🐝lievable school year.

Alyson Bellora BSN RN NCSN

Palmer River School Nurse

abellora@drregional.org

#WeAreDR

The 2022-2023 school year brings many new faces to our school, and for some already established staff members, it brings new positions! Some of the changes for the upcoming school year are highlighted below. We will be hiring a new school psychologist very soon, and we also have one more second-grade teacher to hire. As soon as these positions are officially filled, the school community will receive an update.

Mrs. Kefor is very excited to join the staff at PRES after spending the past 3 years as principal at Amvet Boulevard School in North Attleborough, MA. Prior to her last position, she was a classroom teacher, early childhood coordinator, and assistant principal at Joseph C. Solmonese School in Norton, MA. She is a proud Rehoboth resident, and she loves the quaint feeling that comes from living in town. She can't wait to meet all of the students, and is looking forward to the new school year ahead!

Dr. Leandro joins the PRES staff with several decades of experience as an elementary classroom teacher in Dartmouth, MA. She is excited to join the staff and get to know all of the students during this upcoming school year.

Mrs. Hall is a new face to the Kindergarten team, but she has been a teacher at PRES for seven years. Most recently, Ms. Hall taught second grade, but prior to that, she was a kindergarten teacher. She is very excited to work in a new location, and has one of the largest classrooms in the building. She is looking forward to a productive, fun, and exciting year with her kindergarten students.

Mrs. Carrie Lezy will permanently join the PRES staff this September after filling in as long term substitute several times, most recently as kindergarten and grade one teacher last year. She is very excited to join the staff at our wonderful school. She has over 15 years of teaching experience, and is a mom to twin girls who are in college. She can't wait to get to know all of her new students.

Ms. Caramanica joins the grade two team this year. She is a graduate of Stonehill College, and is currently working towards her masters degree in reading and literacy. Prior to joining the team at PRES, Ms. Caramanica was a grade two teacher at the Family Development Charter School in Lawrence, MA for four years. Another fun fact about Ms. Caramanica is that she was once a student in Mrs. Kefor's third grade class! Ms. Caramanica is most excited to meet all of her new students on September 7th!

"Miss G" is a new member of the grade two team, but has been a member of the PRES school staff for some time. Last year, Ms. Guarniero worked as a preschool teacher in the morning, and also served as a fourth grade special educator during the afternoon. She is most excited to form great relationships with her second graders, and to create a warm and welcoming classroom environment.

Ms. Martins joins the staff at PRES after serving as a special education teacher and math interventionist in both Swansea, MA and Taunton, MA. She has also taught grades 2 through 6 as a classroom teacher. Ms. Martins has two daughters, she loves to sew, and she lives on a farm. She is most looking forward to getting to know all of her new third grade students in September.

Ms. Burtch is overjoyed to join our grade four staff this fall. She joins PRES from a private school in Northborough where she taught for the last two years. She has worked with elementary students ranging from grades 1-4 in the classroom, at summer camps, and in after school programming. She looks forward to meeting all the wonderful students and families of PRES and “bee”-ing apart of the amazing school community!

Mrs. Jefferson has served a dual role as PRES's School Psychologist and Special Education Coordinator for the past ten years. She is very excited to take on a new role this year as the full-time Special Education Coordinator for our school. Mrs. Jefferson is also the mom of three children, with her youngest starting college this fall. She is most excited to continue working with the wonderful and dedicated parents and staff, and the children who attend Palmer River Elementary School. She hopes to have an exciting year with our new administrative team.

Ms. Bellora is the new nurse at PRES. Most recently, she was a floating nurse for the district, working in both Dighton and Rehoboth schools for the past five years. She is thrilled to be a part of the PRES family, and she hopes to provide a high level of nursing expertise, and comprehensive health promotion for our students and families. She is very happy to be part of the awesome staff at PRES.

Did you know that we have before and after school care right here in the school building? Champions provides exceptional and convenient child care options in the PRES cafeteria each and every day. They also offer programming during school vacations and on "no school" days. If you are interested in learning more, please email the PRES Site Director, Jenn, at CH004999@discoverchampions.com.

This section of the newsletter is dedicated to our amazing PTSA who will share flyers, announcements, and information here. All parents/guardians of Palmer River Elementary School and Beckwith Middle School students are welcome to attend meetings.

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.