Hello Deering Families,

Welcome to Deering’s 151st year! We are proud that Deering is a place where students, staff, and families of extremely diverse backgrounds share a positive community together. Like the mural at our back patio says, we are “All One School,” and you are an important part of that.

9th GRADE WELCOME NIGHT (other new families welcome, too) On Tuesday, August 27, rising 9th graders and their families will gather from 5:00 to 7:00pm for a special orientation to 9th grade. They will also be able to pick up their school laptop. Although we won’t have a specific orientation program for them, new students in grades 10 through 12 and their families are welcome to come as well, and can pick up their laptops.

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

Our first day of school is Tuesday, September 3. On that day, we will have a special schedule. 9th graders should arrive by 8:10am. All other students will start class at 11:40am but can arrive at 11:00am if they want lunch. All students will be dismissed at 2:50pm. Functional Life Skills and Alternative Education students will have a normal full day.

If your 10th, 11th, or 12th grader receives transportation from the yellow school bus and is not an FLS or Alt Ed student, they will be picked up three hours later than normally on the first day of school.

THE SCHOOL DAY

Deering classes start at 8:20 each day, so please make certain that your student arrives at Deering before 8:20. We have a problem of many students arriving late each morning, and it is very disruptive to the learning process. If your student will be late, is home ill, or needs to be dismissed early, call us at 207-874-8260.

We start each day with a ten minute Advisory class in which students receive important announcements and updates. On Wednesdays, Advisory will be an hour long and will include guidance lessons, course selection, college/career preparation, mandated tests and surveys, emergency drills, and other important activities. If your student tells you that Advisory is not required, they are incorrect.

Classes end at 2:50. School dismisses at 1:50 on Wednesdays so that teachers can attend training. There used to be an 11:30 dismissal on the fourth Wednesdays of each month, but we have discontinued that practice. You can keep track of the daily bell schedule here.

Breakfast is available at no cost at 8:00am, and lunch is provided at no cost as well.

There is a year-at-a-glance calendar here that is formatted so that you can print it and hang it on a refrigerator or bulletin board, but the most up to date calendar information will always be on our website here.

TRANSPORTATION AND PARKING

All Deering students travel for free on the Metro bus with a METRO bus pass. Students who need to set up their Metro account can do so in the guidance office.

11th and 12th grade students who drive to school can visit the main office to purchase permits to use our parking lot. Each permit costs $10. 9th and 10th grade students who drive to school can use on-street parking spots on Leland and Ludlow Streets but may not park in the school parking lot.

Students who have yellow bus transportation will be receiving route information via ReachMyTeach on or before August 21. There will be no postcards this year.

SPORTS AND ACTIVITIES

If your student wishes to participate in any of our fall sports (Football, Girls & Boys Soccer, Field Hockey, Girls & Boys Cross Country, Girls Volleyball, Golf, Cheer, or Esports) register now at If your student wishes to participate in any of our fall sports (Football, Girls & Boys Soccer, Field Hockey, Girls & Boys Cross Country, Girls Volleyball, Golf, Cheer, or Esports) register now at https://deering-ar.rschooltoday.com/ You will need a recent physical examination from your doctor. Pre-season practices began on August 19th, but there is still time to join. You will need a recent physical examination from your doctor. Pre-season practices began on August 19th, but there is still time to join.

Deering also offers more than 44 student clubs including Student Government, Debate, Drama, and Model United Nations. Students will learn more at a Club & Activities Fair this fall.

You can find much more information about Deering, including our family handbook, at our website, dhs.portlandschools.org. If English is not your preferred language, please use the translate button at the top right corner of the website.

SCHEDULES

You can see your student’s 2024-2025 schedule by logging into Infinite Campus with your Parent Portal. Don’t have a Parent Portal? Please call Deering and we will help you create one. Students can inquire about changes to their schedules from now through the first week of school. Our official add/drop period runs from September 3 to September 13. From September 3 to September 5, students can change their schedule without teacher or parent/guardian approval unless the student is enrolled in specialized programming. From September 6 to September 13, students can change their schedule with parent/guardian and teacher signatures. If you have questions about course sequence or courses offered please refer to our course catalog here.

ALL FAMILIES: LEARN MORE AT OPEN HOUSE

On Monday, September 9, we will hold an Open House for all families from 5:00 to 7:00pm. Come together as a community, meet your student’s teachers, see their classrooms, and explore table displays featuring information about academics, athletics, clubs, Jobs for Maine Graduates, Extended Learning Opportunities, student supports, Seal of Biliteracy, and STEM endorsement.

Let us know if you have any questions. We are excited to see you!

Sincerely,

All of us at Deering High School