Welcome back DHS Students! 

Counselors have been working over the last few to get schedules and plans in place for all of you to get the 2025-2026 school year started on the right note! We wanted to give you the information for Add/Drop and the beginning of the year, but first, introduce the newest additions to the School Counseling team! Ms. Demers is now at Portland High School, and Ms. Watts will be continuing her leave until the end of Semester 1. In their place we have Mr. Mutombo (formerly of PHS!) and Ms. Siegel (formerly of Lyman Moore!). 

PLEASE CHECK IC BEFORE COMING TO SCHOOL ON 9/2 IN CASE YOUR SCHEDULE HAS CHANGED!

We have also realigned our caseloads to better coordinate our services with Social Workers, CCCs, and admin. The new caseloads are:

 

Counselors email:

Laurie Medeiros medeil@portlandschools.org 

Shawn Kennedy kennes@portlandschools.org 

Catherine Siegel siegec@portlandschools.org

Ilunga Mutombo mutomi@portlandschools.org 

For many of you we realize that this is another counselor change that there have been many over the last few years. We are here to support all of you! For those of you that are changing counselors and have some concerns or are feeling nervous, please come see us and we can work through that together, begin building those relationships, and let you know how we can best support you! 

Minimum Course Requirements

Deering High School students will be required to carry a minimum number of 4 classes per semester for grades 9-11 and 3 classes per semester in grade 12. Students will only be allowed to go below these minimums to accommodate a medical need, an IEP/504 stipulation, an adverse life circumstance, etc. If you believe you are in need of one of these exemptions, please see your School Counselor or Social Worker to begin the process to obtain that waiver.

Add/Drop:

Our add/drop period will be the first week of school, ending on 9/5. During that week you will be able to make changes to your schedule as needed and appropriate. Counselors are not making appointments during add/drop; students should come in when they are able and we will see everyone in the order they arrive. If there is a problem with your schedule because you are missing a core content class you should have, are signed up for a class you've already taken and passed, or are signed up for a class that you do not meet the prerequisite for, please see and/or message your counselor. If you are looking to change an elective, please go to the class first! See it for yourself before deciding if you want to change your classes around. If you come to the counseling office before going to that class, you will be sent back. We will not be able to change schedules to align with preferred peers, give preferred teachers, drop classes for lack of interest, etc.

New Courses!

Teachers have worked hard to add new classes to the course catalog over the summer. Our new classes our:

Honors African American History

African American History is a survey course that investigates substantial social, political, and economic contributions of the people of African ancestry in American life, culture and history. Students explore key topics that extend from early African kingdoms to the ongoing challenges and achievements of the contemporary moment.

Journalism and Society 

At its core journalism is uncovering the truth about our world in order to inform the public and, oftentimes, to inspire social change. In the first few weeks of this semester-long course students will learn different forms of journalism, explore the relationship between journalism and democracy, learn about the history of muckraking and investigative reporting, and evaluate the code of ethics journalists live by. Once students learn the basics, our classroom will turn into a newsroom where students will become real journalists responsible for producing news stories, features, and long-form documentaries on local issues of their choice.

World Cultures

This course focuses on studying various cultures around the world. Students will explore traditions, beliefs, customs, and social structures of diverse societies, enhancing their understanding of global interconnections.

Band

Band is now offered as a class during the day! It will be in block 3. If you would like to join this class please see your counselor!

Approved Block Off/College Class Blocks

Students with an approved block off, or College Class block, in their schedule will be required to be in the library for that block. Students are allowed to leave the building for that block and return for their next class, but will not be permitted to be in the hallways, cafeteria, or other common spaces during that time. Students not staying the library will be redirected by administrators, continued issues will be subject to disciplinary issues

Have a great year, we are excited to see you back!

-School Counseling Team