Hello Families,

I hope everyone was able to get to Tiger Jam last weekend. This past week, we started the last term of our year. As we move into next week, we will be holding our final MyCAP day for students to build on specific skills geared towards gaining future employment and fortune. We will also be hosting the Central Massachusetts GSA Student Leadership Council.

Prom is coming up on May 16th, at Pleasant Valley Country Club in Sutton. Students attending Prom will be allowed to be dismissed at 10:50am. Students who are having difficulty with attendance and plan on attending prom should work through the buyback program soon so they don't run the risk of losing credit in their classes for missing those afternoon classes.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the DHS Drama Club will not be holding its spring show. We hope to see you all at our next show in December. If anyone would like to join Drama Club, please contact Ms. Woodford or Ms. DaPoala.

Enjoy your weekend

Here is a video recap from the month of March. LINK

4/15 - MyCAP Day

4/15 - GSA Central Mass Conference

4/18 - No School (Good Friday)

4/21-4/25 No School (April Vacation)

Mon: Day 5

Tues: Day 6

Wed: Day 7

Thu: Day 1

Fri: Day 2

Yearbooks are on sale until May 15th and are $57.10.

Senior Week will go from May 27th through May 30th. Seniors are required to be present in school during this week. During Senior Week, there is graduation rehearsals, the Senior Stroll, and the Senior Lunch. For seniors who are struggling to get to the finish line, this is also a time to make sure they have completed all of their requirements.

Senior Night will be on Tuesday, May 27th at 5:30pm. This night is a dedicated celebration to the seniors and the presentation of various awards and scholarships.

Graduation is coming up sooner than we all think. As we see our seniors prepare for their departure, we want to be prepared for our celebration day on Friday, May 30th at 5:30pm. The celebration is currently scheduled to be outdoors, weather depending.

A final decision for an indoor or outdoor celebration will be made by the end of the school day on Thursday, May 29th should we have inclimate weather. Should graduation be held indoors, we will be giving each student 6 tickets for the graduation ceremony.

The MA Educational Financing Authority (MEFA) offers free, informative webinars and virtual community events on a range of topics. Upcoming webinars include:

Managing Student Loan Repayment for Graduating Seniors-April 9, 2025 12:00-1:00 pm: It’s important to stay on track with repayment of your student loans. This webinar will provide guidance on creating a budget, information on maintaining good credit, a smart plan for repayment, and helpful websites. Live transcription will be available.

https://www.mefa.org/webinar/managing-student-loan-repayment-for-graduating-seniors-2025/

Financial Aid Offers and the College Bill-April 10, 2025 12:00-1:00 pm: This webinar provides valuable guidance for high school seniors who have received their college acceptance letters and financial aid offers and are trying to make the college decision. Topics include an overview of different types of financial aid, an explanation of how to calculate the balance due at each college, and methods for paying the college bill. Live transcription will be available.

https://www.mefa.org/webinar/financial-aid-offers-the-college-bill-2025/

Financial Aid Offer Hotline-April 16, 2025 5:00-7:00 pm: Do you need assistance understanding and comparing your financial aid offers from colleges? Join us for a virtual Financial Aid Offer Hotline. Financial aid experts will be on hand to meet with you individually and help you understand the financial aid that you have been offered, calculate the estimated net balance due at every college, and navigate your next steps, including how to pay for the remaining costs that will appear on your college bill. Log in anytime between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

https://www.mefa.org/webinar/financial-aid-offer-hotline/

For a complete list of upcoming webinars and to access past recorded webinars please visit: https://www.mefa.org/webinars/

The Class of 2026 is doing a pie fundraiser again this year! Order online and pick up your frozen treat just in time for Mother's Day or Father's Day! This fundraiser runs until April 10th and pick up will be in May! Click this link to order: https://my.mcmfundraising.com/2025-spring-douglas-high-school-class-of-2026/brianna-novicki

The Douglas High School Class of 2027 is hosting a Meadow Farms fundraiser, offering a variety of high-quality products, including gourmet snacks, gift wrap, home décor, and more! Every purchase helps support class activities, events, and future senior-year celebrations.

Browse and shop here: Meadow Farms Fundraiser – DHS Class of 2027

We have partnered with the Presidential Service Award for Community Service. To be eligible for this award, students must submit their hours that are truly community based. Please see the chart below for the qualifying numbers.

If you want a video to describe the policy, click HERE

If you qualify for Buyback, please see one of our Administrators or Guidance Counselors to initiate.

Come join any of our events. Game Schedules: Athletic Calendar

UNIFIED SPORTS is coming to DHS!! See here for information: LINK

Please see the Athletic Handbook for policies and procedures

Sign Up for Spring Sports HERE

Douglas Public Schools Continues to Partner with Care Solace to Revolutionize Mental Health Care Access: Students, their families, and staff have access to mental health care coordination services at no cost.

Understanding the profound impact of untreated mental health conditions, Douglas Public Schools takes an innovative step forward by partnering with Care Solace, a social purpose organization focused on removing barriers in accessing mental health care. The collaboration provides school district families and staff with access to Care Solace's care coordination services at no cost.

Douglas Public Schools will use Care Solace to support its commitment to ensuring accessible mental health care. This initiative demonstrates the district’s dedication to building a resilient community, where everyone has equal opportunities to thrive.

As a central hub of care, Care Solace streamlines communication and coordination to connect individuals with the right resources and appropriate level of care. Individuals seeking mental health care now have a trusted companion to rely on.

With a team of more than 500 dedicated Care Companions, Care Solace connects Douglas Public Schools to over 560,000 licensed mental health and substance use treatment providers. Through a human-centered and technology supported approach, these Care Companions navigate the fragmented mental health care system on behalf of individuals, helping them find the perfect fit for their unique needs and insurance requirements. Their multilingual Care Companions are available 24/7/365 ensuring inclusivity and accessibility for the entire community.

"Care Solace is proud to support Douglas Public Schools in prioritizing the well-being of its students, staff and community, " says Chad Castruita, Founder & CEO. "Care Solace exists to calm the chaos that often surrounds mental health crises, providing a supportive and compassionate framework to help individuals regain control of their lives."

To learn more about Care Solace and its services, visit caresolace.org.

We know that mental health challenges are hard for our kids. But, what about you? Do you sometimes feel sadness, despair, and hopelessness? Join parents who "get it" to better understand and accept our grief when someone we love has mental health challenges. Use this link to register for the training session: LINK

Click the picture above to access the application

Although the vote was passed to eliminate MCAS as a Graduation requirement, State law still dictates that every public school student must take the MCAS exam. As we plan ahead, please be aware of these dates for MCAS.

Retests:

ELA: March 6 & 7

Math: March 11 & 12

Biology: February 4 & 5

Grade 10 ELA:

March 25 (Session 1)

March 26 (Session 2)

Grade 10 Math:

May 20 (Session 1)

May 21 (Session 2)

Grade 9 & 10 Biology:

June 4 (Session 1)

June 5 (Session 2)

MCAS Alt. Deadline:

Thursday, March 28

2024 AP Exam Dates and Fees

**Each student taking an AP course is expected to take the AP exam in the Spring**

Please be mindful of these dates when booking spring vacations!

Monday, May 5, 2025

8:00 am: Biology

12:00 pm: Microeconomics

Tuesday, May 6, 2025

8:00 am: Chemistry

12:oo pm: US Government

Wednesday, May 7, 2025

8:00 am: English Literature and Composition

12:00 pm: Computer Science A

Thursday, May 8, 2025

8:00 am: Statistics

Friday, May 9, 2025

8:00 am: US History

Monday, May 12, 2025

8:00 am: Calculus AB

12:00 pm: Seminar

Tuesday, May 13, 2025

12:00 pm: Environmental Science

Wednesday, May 14, 2025

12:00 pm: English Language and Composition

Thursday, May 15, 2025

8:00 am Spanish Language and Culture

Friday, May 16, 2025

12:00 pm: Psychology