September 21, 2025

Hello Deering Families,

We’ve had such a strong start to the school year! I continue to see and hear wonderful feedback about our school culture—limited phone use, positive student participation and engagement in classrooms, sports achievements, and both new and returning clubs. Thank you to our entire Ramily for contributing to such a great beginning!

We have several important updates to share in this letter. Please read carefully, and as always, don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns.

Morning Entry Time

In order to help ensure supervision of students and placing phones in pouches, we are asking students to wait to enter the building until 7:45 am each morning. If you have any concerns about needing to arrive earlier, please contact Mr. Burnap.

Homecoming Events

We are excited to share our homecoming events coming up! So much to celebrate! 

Spirit Week is the week of September 29th - October 3. It is a chance to celebrate Deering and build on our positive school. Students are encouraged to dress up as follows:

• Monday =  Adam Sandler Day
• Tuesday = Decades Day
• Wednesday = 9-11th grade Black Out (wear all black) and 12th grade wears Neon
• Thursday = no school for Yom Kippur
• Friday = Purple and White

Pep Rally will take place in the gym during school Learning Center on Friday, 10/3. 

Homecoming Football Game vs Cheverus is Friday. 10/3 at 6pm on Memorial Field

Antique Car Show is Saturday, 10/4, from 9:00am-1:00 pm in the large parking lot. This is more than just a car show, it’s a community event designed to bring people together while raising funds for our Student Government. With a bounce house for kids, delicious concessions, live music, and incredible raffle prizes. Are you an antique car owner? We'd love for you to join the show! Register your vehicle for just $15, and you'll receive a free Coffee By Design coffee, a donut, and two raffle tickets. You can find all the details, including photos from last year’s event, and a list of our wonderful sponsors, on our website and our Facebook page.

Homecoming Dance is Saturday, 10/4, from 7-10pm in the Deering Gym. This dance is only for DHS students, and CBHS students playing fall sports on a DHS team, only. Please find our complete dance policies linked here. The cost is $15, tickets will be going on sale this week during lunch. 

Testing

We have the following upcoming testing dates:

• Thursday, September 25th and Thursday, October 9th, 10th Grade Students will be taking the Fall Reading and Math NWEA/Maine Through Year State Assessments. 
• Thursday, October 9th, 11th Grade students will take the PSAT. They will be dismissed after the test.

For all testing, students will need their charged school-issued Chromebooks. Please help your student to bring a charged Chromebook to school every day. If their Chromebook needs repair or replacement, please have them see our Computer Technician, Mr. Cain on Tuesday or Friday mornings. Thank you for supporting your child to do their best on these assessments!

Fall Conferences

Our family-teacher fall conferences are set for the following dates and times. More information on signing up is coming soon.

• Tuesday, October 14, from 3:00-7:00 pm
• Wednesday, October 15, from 2:00-6:30

No Parking on Ludlow Street

Please do not park along the garden on Ludlow St between the small parking lot and Stevens Ave. Please make note of the no parking signs on Ludlow Street, next to the school gardens, near Stevens Ave. Families have been parking at drop off and pickup times, blocking yellow bus parking for students. 

From the School Counselors

It has been great settling into the new year! Thank you to everyone who helped make for a smooth add/drop process. It was exciting to see everyone back, get everyone settled into the classes they wanted and get creative to match opportunities at DHS to student goals. Over the next month we have specific topics that we will be covering with each grade:

12th Grade: Postsecondary planning is upon us! Ms. Medeiros (A-D, R-Z) and Mr. Kennedy (E-Q) will be working with the graduating 12th graders on identifying their plans for after high school, whether it be college, trade programs, going directly to your career or joining the military! We have been holding individual meetings and will meet with the whole grade on 9/25 to discuss potential outcomes and how students can start putting those goals into action! If your student has not completed the initial survey, please remind them to do so! 

11th Grade: School Counselors, Mr. Mutombo (A-K) and Ms. Siegel (L-Z) are beginning to meet with students to support them in planning for life after Deering. In December, Juniors will receive an 11th grade version of the Pathways Survey that asks them to reflect on their current interests and goals, post high school options such as attending a 2- or 4-year college, pursuing an apprenticeship, entering the military, joining the workforce, or letting us know if they are not yet sure. We will use this information to inform our individual meetings with students starting in January.

10th Grade: It is never too early to start planning ahead! Next month we will welcome PATHS coordinators to DHS to talk to the 10th grade about their future plans, applications for PATHS programs in 11th and 12th grade, as well the potential for taking the PATHS exploratory class in the spring semester of 10th grade! All 10th grade students will attend this information session in advisory! If you have any questions please reach out to your student's School Counselor! Mr. Kennedy (A-K) and Ms. Medeiros (L-Z)

9th Grade: School Counselors, Mr. Mutombo (A-K) and Ms. Siegel (L-Z) are busy meeting and welcoming Deering's newest community members! In early October, students will receive a Pathways Survey, which invites them to reflect on their learning styles, set goals as they begin their high school journey, and share their early thoughts about life after high school (at least for now!). In mid-October, we will meet with the entire 9th grade class to share more about Pathways and to highlight key executive functioning skills that will help students be prepared for success—both in the present and in their future endeavors.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns about your student, please reach out to us!

Ms. Medeiros, Ms. Siegel, Mr. Mutombo, Mr. Kennedy, Ms. Davenport 

DHS Students National Merit Semifinalists

 Please congratulate seniors Ellis Retzer, Alma Wallace and Ellis Wood in their nomination as semifinalist in the 2026 National Scholarship Program, more info here.

Family-Teacher Organization (FTO)

Our Family-Teacher Organization first meeting has changed to Tuesday, September 30, from 6:00-7:00 in the Deering library. The agenda includes: welcoming new families, extended learning opportunities, STEM endorsements, seal of biliteracy, clink bags, mini grants, and a Q&A with the principal. All are welcome to attend, please reach out to deeringhspto@gmail.com or check out their Facebook page for more information. 

In partnership,
Jeff Burnap
Assistant Principal

Deering High School