Hello Deering Families,

It has been a busy, dynamic month here at Deering! From school spirit celebrations to important shifts in our school culture, our students have shown what it means to be part of the "Ramily." Here is a look back at the highlights from February and a look ahead to the rest of March.

School Spirit & Community Highlights

• We kicked off the month with a high-energy Spirit Week, featuring everything from "Anything But a Backpack Day" (where we saw a car tire and a car door used as bags!) to our "Rainbow Rumble." We capped it all off with a school-wide Rock, Paper, Scissors tournament and a spirited Pep Rally.
• Celebrating Our Counselors and Social Workers: During Counselor Appreciation Week, we shared our deep gratitude for Mr. Kennedy, Ms. Watts, Mr. Mutombo, and Ms. Medieros for all they do to support our students' success and well-being. This past week was Social Worker Appreciation Week: we are proud to have five amazing school social workers (Ms. Eiber, Mr. Grande, Ms. Atkinson-Lewis, Ms. Jacome, and Mr. Parker), plus our community partners who support students every day. Thank you to our Student Support Team!
• Sportsmanship in Action: We were incredibly proud to receive a letter from Noble High School praising our Boys Basketball team. During a difficult Senior Night for Noble following a community loss, our athletes showed immense empathy, respect, and compassion. They truly represented the best of Deering.

Academic Expectations & New Initiatives

As we move through the second half of the year, we are refocusing on a "Minds On" learning environment.

• Orange Pass Policy: We are emphasizing the importance of being in class "bell to bell." Students have been doing a great job using the official orange passes for necessary hall breaks.
• Lunch Detentions: To address issues with skipping and to ensure a respectful environment, we have transitioned from Community Lunches to Admin Lunch Detentions. This is a space for students to reflect on their choices and work toward repairing any harm caused to the school community.
• Ramadan Support: We are proud to offer Halal-certified, shelf-stable snacks for students observing Ramadan. These can be picked up during lunch to be taken home for after-school Iftar.

Extracurriculars & Achievements

Our Rams have been shining in and outside of the classroom!

• District 2 Music: Congratulations to our singers and band members for participating in this year’s District 2 vocal and instrumental festivals! 
• Muslim Student Association: Our MSA hosted a warm and welcoming Iftar Night that included a community meal, open gym, and time to play games, hang out, and observe Ramadan together.
• DHS Debate: Senior and co-captain Noah Rasheed won the State Championship in Senate Debate, with Senior Zachary Lee placing 2nd Runner-Up. Sophomore Ezri Pelletier won the MPA State Championship in the House. Congratulations to both Noah and Ezri for qualifying for the National Tournament in Virginia this June!
• Winter Sports: Many of our athletes competed in State meets over the past month—we are so proud of their dedication. Huge congratulations to Rocco Ciccomancini for breaking the school record in the 55-meter dash with a blistering time of 6.59 seconds, and to Jack Borland for winning the Class A State Championship for Nordic Skiing! 

Looking Ahead

• Drama News: The Deering Players recently performed The Elephant’s Graveyard, a powerful one-act play. Congratulations to the cast and crew on a moving performance, and earning Runner Up at Regional One Act Festival  held at Yarmouth High School! There will be an encore performance this Friday, March 13th at 7pm in the Deering Auditorium.
• Student Conferences are Coming! March 25th and 26th. Invites go out this week. Don’t forget to sign up!
• Celebrating Black Excellence: The Black Student Union (BSU) are working diligently to host a schoolwide celebration through an open mic/talent show on March 27th.
• Culture Day Planning: Student Government and volunteers are already hard at work planning our upcoming Culture Day including dance, a talent show, and lots of food on April 17th.

Support the Ramily

We are continuing our school-wide behavior reset incentives and providing grants for our teachers to fund their innovative classroom work. If you are able, please consider donating to the DHS FTO: Donate via the DHS FTO Link Here

Prom season is right around the corner and the Ramily Market wants to make sure every student shines! We are looking for donations of gently used suits, formal dresses, and accessories. Help us make prom night unforgettable for our Ramily!

Thank you for your continued partnership in making Deering a safe, respectful, and joyful place to learn.

Carlie Frederick, Assistant Principal