Tiger Times
Superintendent's Weekly Update: October 28th - November 1st
Douglas Public Schools Mission Statement
“The Douglas Public Schools offer diverse learning experiences that meet the academic, social, physical, and emotional needs of all students. We provide a safe, supportive, and challenging learning environment in which students may achieve academic success and personal growth.
Decisions are made in the best interest of students.”
Douglas Middle School Family Engagement
Please RSVP by clicking the link below...
Care Solace
World Kindness Day:
November 13th is World Kindness Day, a reminder to be kind to each other, ourselves, and our world. Acts of kindness, no matter how small, create a ripple effect of positivity and community.
Here’s how you can celebrate:
- Share your pledge to acts of kindness on social media with #worldkindnessday and #makekindnessthenorm.
- Visit the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation for ideas to incorporate more kindness into your life.
- Take a moment to care for your well-being. If you or someone you know needs support, Care Solace is here to help.
The Winter Months Are Approaching
Please See the Following Guidelines from the CDC Regarding Student and Staff Illness.
Schools can expect that children and staff will get sick during the school year. In a recent survey, more than two-thirds of children missed at least one day of school for illness or injury in the previous year, and about half of those students were absent 1-3 days (National Survey for Child Health, 2022). When children or staff do become ill, schools can implement strategies to help slow the spread of infectious diseases including:
- Staying home when sick.
- Knowing when to return to school.
- Using personal protective equipment for staff caring for sick children.
Staying Home When Sick
Staying home when sick can lower the risk of spreading infections. Under routine circumstances, some illness spread among school communities is expected. In general, children with improving symptoms should be able to participate in school.
If a child’s needs while sick with an infectious illness would interfere with school staff’s ability to teach and care for other students, the child should stay home. Schools must balance the risk of infectious disease spread with educational, social, and mental health needs of children when determining when students should stay home.
Schools, parents, and caregivers often do not know what specific illness a child may have; rather, children present with symptoms. If someone has the following symptoms, they should stay home because their illness could affect their ability to participate in school and there is concern that they might spread an infection to staff and students.
- Fever, including a fever with a new rash.
- Vomiting more than twice in the preceding 24 hours.
- Diarrhea that causes ‘accidents’, is bloody, or results in greater than two bowel movements above what the child normally experiences in a 24-hour period.
- Skin sores that are draining fluid on an uncovered part of the body and are unable to be covered with a bandage.
- Respiratory virus symptoms that are worsening or not improving and not better explained by another cause such as seasonal allergies.
The above list describes symptoms of common illnesses experienced in school-aged children and can also apply to school staff. Schools should develop policies for common illnesses, such as strep throat and hand-foot-mouth disease, that are informed by CDC pathogen-specific guidance, with assistance from school health teams and other professionals with expertise in infectious disease management and spread. Teams can include people with child-health and infection-prevention expertise, such as school nurses, pediatricians, and health department advisors. When developing illness-specific policies, schools can reference resources from school health experts (for example, the American Academy of Pediatrics , the National Association of School Nurses, and the School-Based Health Alliance) who provide several resources that may be useful. Schools can also refer to state and local health department school health resources.
Return to School
When a person can return to school depends on the nature of the illness. In general, a child returning to school should be well enough to participate in school (e.g., can adequately manage improving cough and congestion on own, not overly fatigued), and care of the returning child should not interfere with the school staff’s ability to teach or care for other students. Students and staff returning to school following an illness may still be contagious, but are likely to be less contagious as symptoms improve, depending on factors like duration and severity of illness. Parents and caregivers should consult their child’s health care providers with specific questions about their child’s condition or recovery.
For the general symptoms described in the stay at home when sick section of this guidance, policies can allow return to the school setting when:
- The child has not had a fever (and is not using fever-reducing medicine) for at least 24 hours.
- Fever with a new rash has been evaluated by a healthcare provider and fever has resolved.
- Uncovered skin sores are crusting, and the child is under treatment from a provider.
- Vomiting has resolved overnight and the child can hold down food / liquids in the morning.
- Diarrhea has improved, the child is no longer having accidents or is having bowel movements no more than 2 above normal per 24-hour period for the child. Bloody diarrhea should be evaluated by a healthcare provider prior to return.
- Respiratory virus symptoms are getting better overall for at least 24 hours. Students and staff returning after a respiratory illness can consider additional actions to reduce spread.
State and local health departments may have additional guidance for staying home when sick and return to school considerations for some illnesses; schools should refer to those policies, in addition to this guidance. There may be instances when schools adjust illness exclusion procedures due to community disease spread (e.g., during an outbreak or pandemic or a time of excessive absences due to respiratory or gastrointestinal illness). Schools can describe these instances in their emergency operations plan (EOP) as part of a layered approach to preventing disease spread. Schools can also work in coordination with health departments and school health advisory teams to develop these plans.
Schools can establish policies and practices that support having students and staff stay home when sick and ensure that employees and families are aware of and understand these policies. In accordance with applicable laws and regulations, schools could:
- Allow flexible, non-punitive paid sick leave policies and practices for staff.
- Set policies to accommodate individuals who are sick and avoid incentivizing coming to school or work while sick.
- Support children who are learning at home because they are sick.
Schools should carefully consider requirements for families to obtain notes from a healthcare provider for illness-related absences. Many common childhood illnesses can be managed at home. Visits made only to obtain a provider note can create undue burden on families and the healthcare system (e.g., caregivers might need to take additional time off from work or pay additional co-pays for these visits). Such requirements can disproportionately impact vulnerable populations and discourage illness-related absence.
Use Personal Protective Equipment When Caring for Sick Children
School staff who are assigned responsibility for caring for sick children or who will be exposed to infectious materials should understand appropriate use and selection of personal protective equipment (PPE). PPE is equipment worn to minimize exposure to infectious material that may cause illness. PPE includes items such as gloves, safety glasses, masks or respirators, and gowns. For protection from infectious diseases, PPE can be available for use when there is an expectation of possible exposure to infectious materials (e.g., when caring for a sick student or when cleaning up used tissues or vomitus). Guidance intended for healthcare settings, such as CDC’s Core Infection Prevention and Control Practices for Safe Healthcare Delivery in All Settings, is appropriate for school health staff, for example, school nurses or school-based health center personnel.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM AROUND THE DISTRICT
At the Primary School....
Primary students are hitting it out of the park solving puzzles on ST Math Monday!!
Primary students were selected to choose a book from the vending machine!
Most were Halloween books!
At The High School...
Seniors enjoying their Annual Halloween Parade
THE DOUGLAS PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE HIRING!
Custodial and Cafeteria Workers
Douglas Public Schools has Custodial and Cafeteria Worker job opportunities available (Regular positions and Substitute positions). Please apply on SchoolSpring.com.
Full and Part-Time Positions
We are currently recruiting for open positions and would love to hear from you. Apply online at: SchoolSpring.com. Your application will require a CORI check, which can be done through DPS in our Central Office and a SAFIS fingerprint background check, which will need to be completed at one of many local Indentogo facilities.
Become a DPS Substitute!
The Douglas Public Schools welcomes your interest as a substitute teacher and/or paraprofessional. Our substitute teachers and paraprofessionals play an important role in the day-to-day operation of our school system we look forward to having you become an important part of our students’ learning experience.
Substitute School Nurses Needed!
We need Substitute School Nurses! Join the DPS Health and Human Services Team as a Substitute School Nurse to support the health and well-being of the Douglas Public School students. Substitute School Nurses work as needed, with a minimum commitment.
We are still looking for School Bus Monitors!
Are you looking for a little extra cash and only want to work a couple of hours each day?
Apply to be a School Bus Monitor for the Douglas Public Schools!
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH HELPLINE (BHH)
Mental health and substance use crisis services in Massachusetts are now covered for everyone, with or without insurance!
If you're in crisis and want immediate support, call or visit a Community Behavioral Health Center and get the care you need — no insurance required.
Visit mass.gov/CBHCs to learn more.
COMMUNITY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CENTER (CBHC)
You know mental health matters. But you may not know where to go for help. Now, you have options:
- Call or text 833-773-2445 and work with a trained clinician or peer coach to get connected directly to the right services for you.
- Walk into a Community Behavioral Health Center (CBHC) and access immediate mental health crisis support, no insurance needed.
Learn more at mass.gov/BHroadmap.
Douglas High School Opportunities
After Middle School...
It can be a major decision whether your student is deciding to attend a vocational school or traditional high school after Middle School. For students trying to decide between these two educational paths, the choice often comes down to your skills, interests, and what you want to do after graduating. Please take a look at what the Douglas High School has to offer.
High schools play a crucial role in shaping the academic and personal development of students. They provide a broad academic foundation, a college preparatory focus, and a range of extracurricular activities to enhance students’ overall growth.
Douglas High School offers advanced placement (AP) courses and college-level classes, allowing motivated students to earn college credits while still in high school. Additionally, Douglas High School provides guidance and support in the college application process, helping students navigate through the complexities of college admissions.
Superintendent's Goals for 2024-2025
Please click the link to view the Superintendent's Goals for the 2024-2025 School Year.
Blue Print for Student Success
Douglas Public Schools Blue Print for Student Success
The Blue Print for Student Success is our version of a Strategic Plan. This is a living and breathing document that guides our decision making and is our plan to move the district forward and ensure that our students succeed at a high level. Click here to view the 23-24 Blue Print.
2024-2025 School Choice
School Choice is CLOSED for the 2024-2025 School Year.
We will start taking applications for the 2025-2026 School Year in April, 2025.
Please stay tuned to the District website for updates.
Click on any of the tabs below to access useful information
Contact Us
Website: www.douglasps.net
Address: 21 Davis St. Douglas, MA 01516
Phone Number: 508.476.7901
Twitter: @DouglasSuper1