Dear Douglas Community,
I hope this message finds you well. Last night at the School Committee meeting I announced that the Douglas Public Schools are beginning the process of exploring the possibility of a grade reconfiguration within the district. At this time, no decisions have been made as our focus is on research and analysis.
As part of this exploration, we will be considering the following potential changes:
Making the Primary School a true early childhood center consisting only of PreK and Kindergarten
Redesignating the Elementary School as a Grade 1–4 school
Configuring the Middle School as a Grade 5–7 school
Expanding the High School to serve Grades 8–12
This potential shift could bring several opportunities:
Currently, the Primary School has only three PreK classrooms. We have seen an increase in demand for both special education and regular education PreK placements. Moving 1st grade to the Elementary School would create up to four additional classroom spaces for early childhood education.
Many school districts have moved 8th grade into the high school setting. Doing so can strengthen educational opportunities, increase competitiveness with vocational schools, and provide greater financial and programmatic opportunities for both students and the community.
Over the next few months, I will be working with our building principals to meet with neighboring districts that have made similar shifts in order to better understand the benefits and challenges of such a transition. From there, we will develop a potential plan to share with the community, and we will seek feedback from families, staff, and stakeholders. My goal is to have a draft plan available sometime this winter.
I recognize that the idea of reconfiguration may cause questions, concerns, or even stress. At the same time, it also presents exciting opportunities for us to expand programs and strengthen our district. We are committed to weighing all options carefully and listening to our community.
I want to be transparent from the beginning, so that as discussions take place and questions arise, you are hearing directly from me. As this process unfolds, I will continue to provide regular updates and opportunities for input.
Thank you for your partnership, your support, and your commitment to the students of Douglas.
My best,
Paul D. Vieira, Ed.D.
Superintendent
I hope this message finds you well. Last night at the School Committee meeting I announced that the Douglas Public Schools are beginning the process of exploring the possibility of a grade reconfiguration within the district. At this time, no decisions have been made as our focus is on research and analysis.
As part of this exploration, we will be considering the following potential changes:
Making the Primary School a true early childhood center consisting only of PreK and Kindergarten
Redesignating the Elementary School as a Grade 1–4 school
Configuring the Middle School as a Grade 5–7 school
Expanding the High School to serve Grades 8–12
This potential shift could bring several opportunities:
Currently, the Primary School has only three PreK classrooms. We have seen an increase in demand for both special education and regular education PreK placements. Moving 1st grade to the Elementary School would create up to four additional classroom spaces for early childhood education.
Many school districts have moved 8th grade into the high school setting. Doing so can strengthen educational opportunities, increase competitiveness with vocational schools, and provide greater financial and programmatic opportunities for both students and the community.
Over the next few months, I will be working with our building principals to meet with neighboring districts that have made similar shifts in order to better understand the benefits and challenges of such a transition. From there, we will develop a potential plan to share with the community, and we will seek feedback from families, staff, and stakeholders. My goal is to have a draft plan available sometime this winter.
I recognize that the idea of reconfiguration may cause questions, concerns, or even stress. At the same time, it also presents exciting opportunities for us to expand programs and strengthen our district. We are committed to weighing all options carefully and listening to our community.
I want to be transparent from the beginning, so that as discussions take place and questions arise, you are hearing directly from me. As this process unfolds, I will continue to provide regular updates and opportunities for input.
Thank you for your partnership, your support, and your commitment to the students of Douglas.
My best,
Paul D. Vieira, Ed.D.
Superintendent
Hello,
Attached is a copy of my weekly newsletter. Have a great weekend!
https://secure.smore.com/n/quh71
Attached is a copy of my weekly newsletter. Have a great weekend!
https://secure.smore.com/n/quh71
I hope to see many of you there on Friday!
Unified Sports Information Night, TONIGHT
Join us at Douglas High School to explore this exciting opportunity available for students.
6:15pm
Douglas High School
Join us at Douglas High School to explore this exciting opportunity available for students.
6:15pm
Douglas High School
Tonight is the kickoff DSEPAC meeting for the school year. Come connect with the new Director of Special Education and Student Support Services and hear more about SEPAC’s resources and opportunities.
Tonight at 7pm!
Topic: Douglas SEPAC
Time: Sep 9, 2025 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
Virtual Link, Click HERE
Meeting ID: 202 474 6983
Passcode: ZA3CPs
Douglas Special Education Parent Advisory Council (DSEPAC) has launched a new website. Come see what DSEPAC is all about and meet the new Director of Special Education and Student Support Services, Kate Buck. The first meeting of the school year will be Tuesday, September 9, 2025 at 7pm.
https://www.douglassepac.us/
https://www.douglassepac.us/
I invite you to stop by The Coffee Bean in downtown Douglas on Friday, September 12, from 8:00–10:00 AM. Come say hello, enjoy a cup of coffee, and learn more about what’s happening in our district. I look forward to connecting and hope to see many of you there!
Catch up with the latest student stories, events, and news updates. It's everything Douglas PS, in your pocket. If you haven't already, download the app!
Download for Android https://aptg.co/PDHLNb
Download for iPhone https://aptg.co/PR9bX2
Attached is a copy of my weekly newsletter. Have a great long weekend.
https://secure.smore.com/n/9x5dr
https://secure.smore.com/n/9x5dr
In July, the School Committee, members of the leadership team, and representatives from the DTA and DESPA came together to help develop the School Committee’s value and belief statements. We prioritized the following areas: academic excellence, social and emotional well-being, professional culture, family and community engagement, operations, and fiscal responsibility.
Through our work, we developed value and belief statements for each of these focus areas, along with action steps to guide progress toward our objectives. Over the course of the school year, we will concentrate on many of these steps to help move the district forward and ensure student success. While these action items will take more than a year to fully accomplish, they will serve as a roadmap for our ongoing work.
I am grateful to the members of the School Committee, the leadership team, and our educators who dedicated time during the summer to participate in this effort. It was a thoughtful, engaging, and collaborative process that reflects our shared commitment to the success of every student.
To view the document visit https://www.douglasps.net/page/school-committee
Through our work, we developed value and belief statements for each of these focus areas, along with action steps to guide progress toward our objectives. Over the course of the school year, we will concentrate on many of these steps to help move the district forward and ensure student success. While these action items will take more than a year to fully accomplish, they will serve as a roadmap for our ongoing work.
I am grateful to the members of the School Committee, the leadership team, and our educators who dedicated time during the summer to participate in this effort. It was a thoughtful, engaging, and collaborative process that reflects our shared commitment to the success of every student.
To view the document visit https://www.douglasps.net/page/school-committee
It is almost time!
Attached is a copy of my Back to School Newsletter. Don't forget to download our new app for our webpage and for PowerSchool. Information is attached in the newsletter. See you next week. It will be great to have everyone back!
https://secure.smore.com/n/vmpwz
Attached is a copy of my Back to School Newsletter. Don't forget to download our new app for our webpage and for PowerSchool. Information is attached in the newsletter. See you next week. It will be great to have everyone back!
https://secure.smore.com/n/vmpwz
Attached are copies of our 2025-2026 bus routes.
We are loving our new app! Access documents, news updates, urgent alerts and notifications, right from your pocket.
Download for Android https://aptg.co/PDHLNb
Download for iPhone https://aptg.co/PR9bX2
We are loving our new app! Access documents, news updates, urgent alerts and notifications, right from
your pocket.
Download for Android https://aptg.co/PDHLNb
Download for iPhone https://aptg.co/PR9bX2
your pocket.
Download for Android https://aptg.co/PDHLNb
Download for iPhone https://aptg.co/PR9bX2
Be on the look out...
Bus routes for the 2025-2026 school will be available at the end of next week.
Bus routes for the 2025-2026 school will be available at the end of next week.
Dear Douglas Families
Welcome back to a new school year! Whether you are a returning family or new to the Douglas community, I am excited to extend a warm welcome as we get ready to embark on the 180-day journey that is the 2025–2026 school year. This year promises to be filled with growth, learning, new connections, and meaningful experiences and we are excited to get started.
We look forward to seeing our students return on Wednesday, August 27, and bringing our buildings back to life with energy, laughter, and curiosity. The first day of school is always special as it is an opportunity for us to reconnect, reset, and refocus on what matters most: supporting every student in reaching their full potential.
As always, I would like to begin by expressing my sincere appreciation to the custodial teams, administrative assistants, and members of the leadership team who worked tirelessly over the summer to prepare our schools. Their behind the scenes efforts ensure that everything is in place so we can begin the year smoothly. We all know that a strong start sets a strong tone and I am grateful to this team for making that happen once again.
As we begin this new year, our commitment remains the same: to support each student as an individual and to remove barriers that impact learning and growth. Our belief that “All Means All” continues to shape the decisions we make and the culture we strive to create. It means recognizing and celebrating the strengths, differences, and unique needs of every learner in Douglas. One size does not fit all and it is our job to make sure every student is seen, valued, and supported.
We are also very excited to launch a brand new website which will allow for improved communication and information sharing. This new platform will become the central hub for all District communications, helping families stay up to date on school news, events, and announcements. It will feature a live news feed, directly connected to our Facebook and Instagram accounts, ensuring timely and engaging updates. To better serve our families and streamline communication, this new system will enable us to send out important messages using: SMS (text messaging), Phone calls, Email, Push notifications through the mobile app.
In the coming days, please keep an eye out for my back to school newsletter as well as important information from each of our school principals. As always, we encourage you to stay involved and reach out with questions, ideas, or feedback. Strong home school partnerships are key to a successful year.
Thank you for your continued trust, support, and commitment to the Douglas Public Schools. Let’s make this year a great one together.
Enjoy these last few weeks of summer, and we will see you soon!
Welcome back to a new school year! Whether you are a returning family or new to the Douglas community, I am excited to extend a warm welcome as we get ready to embark on the 180-day journey that is the 2025–2026 school year. This year promises to be filled with growth, learning, new connections, and meaningful experiences and we are excited to get started.
We look forward to seeing our students return on Wednesday, August 27, and bringing our buildings back to life with energy, laughter, and curiosity. The first day of school is always special as it is an opportunity for us to reconnect, reset, and refocus on what matters most: supporting every student in reaching their full potential.
As always, I would like to begin by expressing my sincere appreciation to the custodial teams, administrative assistants, and members of the leadership team who worked tirelessly over the summer to prepare our schools. Their behind the scenes efforts ensure that everything is in place so we can begin the year smoothly. We all know that a strong start sets a strong tone and I am grateful to this team for making that happen once again.
As we begin this new year, our commitment remains the same: to support each student as an individual and to remove barriers that impact learning and growth. Our belief that “All Means All” continues to shape the decisions we make and the culture we strive to create. It means recognizing and celebrating the strengths, differences, and unique needs of every learner in Douglas. One size does not fit all and it is our job to make sure every student is seen, valued, and supported.
We are also very excited to launch a brand new website which will allow for improved communication and information sharing. This new platform will become the central hub for all District communications, helping families stay up to date on school news, events, and announcements. It will feature a live news feed, directly connected to our Facebook and Instagram accounts, ensuring timely and engaging updates. To better serve our families and streamline communication, this new system will enable us to send out important messages using: SMS (text messaging), Phone calls, Email, Push notifications through the mobile app.
In the coming days, please keep an eye out for my back to school newsletter as well as important information from each of our school principals. As always, we encourage you to stay involved and reach out with questions, ideas, or feedback. Strong home school partnerships are key to a successful year.
Thank you for your continued trust, support, and commitment to the Douglas Public Schools. Let’s make this year a great one together.
Enjoy these last few weeks of summer, and we will see you soon!
Catch up with the latest student stories, events, and news
updates. It's everything Douglas PS, in your pocket.
If you haven't already, download the app!
Download for Android https://aptg.co/PDHLNb
Download for iPhone https://aptg.co/PR9bX2
updates. It's everything Douglas PS, in your pocket.
If you haven't already, download the app!
Download for Android https://aptg.co/PDHLNb
Download for iPhone https://aptg.co/PR9bX2
We're thrilled to announce the new app for Douglas PS! It's everything Douglas PS, in your pocket.
Download for Android https://aptg.co/PDHLNb
Download for iPhone https://aptg.co/PR9bX2
Download for Android https://aptg.co/PDHLNb
Download for iPhone https://aptg.co/PR9bX2
