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Deep River Elementary School

A great place to grow, learn and discover

Weekly Update 10 2 26 Families

Posted Date: 10/02/26 (02:20 PM)


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Weekly Update

October 2, 2026

School Update

School Photos 

If you purchased school photos via Lifetouch, they have arrived and will coming home with your child today! Our retake day is October 29th in the morning. If you would like a retake flyer please email dresoffice@reg4.k12.ct.us 

Playground Upgrade 

As part of the SMART start grant - we will be adding an addition structure to the playground for our younger students. We expect work to start on this mid to late November. 

No School Friday October 9th and Monday October 12th 

As a reminder we do not have school next Friday or the following Monday for professional development and Holiday. 

Family Conferences October 22nd and 23rd

Our Fall conferences are coming up on October 22nd and 23rd. Both days are early release days for students at 1pm. Teachers are reaching out to set up conferences, please reach out directly to your child's teacher with questions. 

All specialists are also available for conferences as well! 


 

Board of Education Corner

Agendas for all Region 4/Chester/Deep River/Essex Boards of Education can be found at the below link!

https://www.reg4.k12.ct.us/420943_2

This fall, our five schools started work on a shared vision: a common picture of what we want for our students, our staff, and our communities in the years ahead.  We're partnering with DMG to guide the process.  I want to share what we've done so far and how you can help shape what comes next.

The first step has been to listen and to take a close look at where we are today. To this point, DMG has met with board members, district and school leaders, school staff, and community members. Next, we want to hear from as many of you as possible.  What you tell us, along with what we've learned so far, will shape a draft vision for our schools that reflects what our communities value most and guides our decisions going forward.

To gather your feedback, DMG is hosting four community meetings across our towns. They all cover the same content, so please come to whichever meeting works best for you.

Wednesday, October 28, 6:30–8:30 PM at Chester Elementary School Gymnasium
Thursday, October 29, 4:00–6:00 PM at Deep River Elementary School Gymnasium
Wednesday, November 4, 7:00–9:00 PM at Essex Elementary School Cafeteria
Tuesday, November 10, 7:00–9:00 PM at John Winthrop Middle School Cafeteria
 

Fundraiser!

Our fundraiser ended on September 30th. Our top-selling classroom was Mrs. Cody's 5th grade class and our top-selling student was Leila Pelton in grade 3!

Thank you all for supporting these efforts. 
 
Board
 

Deep River Parks and Rec

Welcome to the Deep River Parks & Recreation Fall 2026 Newsletter! Mark your calendars for an exciting lineup of community events, outdoor adventures, and fitness programs designed for all ages.

COMMUNITY & OUTDOOR PROGRAMS
**For more information and to register, please visit https://deepriver.recdesk.com/Community/Program
Women's Fall Hiking Club
  • Dates: Monday (10/5/26)
  • Time: 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM
  • Cost: $45.00
  • Details: Led by local teacher & naturalist Ann Courcy.
Riverside Renewal: Tai Chi
  • Dates: Tuesdays through 11/24/26
  • Time: 7:00 AM – 7:45 AM
  • Location: Deep River Town Landing
  • Cost: $12 per session (paid directly to instructor Stephen Watson).
  • Details: 45 minutes of stretching, self-massage, range of motion, and breathing by the Connecticut River.
PICKLEBALL PROGRAMS
Location: Deep River Elementary School Gym
  • Fall Pickleball League: Mondays & Wednesdays (9/14/26 – 11/18/26) | 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

For further details on all upcoming events, please visit the Deep River Parks & Recreation portal or reach out to our office!
 

Upcoming Events

No School:
  • Friday, October 9, Professional Development Day
  • Monday, October 12, Columbus Day
Early Dismissals at 1 p.m. for Parent Conferences:
  • Thursday, October 22
  • Friday, October 23
PTO Book Fair: 
  • Thursday, October 22
Picture Retake Day:
  • Thursday, October 29
District Visioning 
  • Thursday, October 29 4-6pm DRES Gym 
Halloween Parade:
  • Friday, October 30th 
Example calendar with dates pinned
 
Parade

Halloween Parade

Each year Deep River Elementary School holds our annual Halloween Parade. This year, with Halloween on a Saturday we will hold the parade on Friday October 30th. More information to come! 
 

2026–2027 Required Annual Notifications

2026–2027 Required Annual Notifications

The 2026-2027 Required Annual Notifications to Parents and Students are now available. Families are asked to review the notifications and complete the brief acknowledgment survey by September 30, 2026.


Families with children attending more than one of our schools will receive a notification from each school and should complete a separate acknowledgment for each.

Paper copies are also available in the Deep River Elementary School Main Office, and an electronic copy will be available on the district website.

Thank you for taking a few moments to review this important information and confirm receipt.

 

PTO News

Happy Friday Eagles!

The directory forms are all in. Please be on the lookout in the coming weeks for a completed copy of our school directory. As a reminder, this directory is for personal use, and the information should not be shared.

Our Family Mini Session photos are this weekend. We still have available spots! If you are interested in signing up, please use this link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0945ACAD2EA5FACF8-65777753-mini.

Mark your calendars! Family Bingo will be on Friday, November 13th, at John Winthrop Middle School! This is always a fun-filled family night, and we would love to see everyone there. Play BINGO with your family, bid on some items at the silent auction, and try your luck at the raffle baskets. We will presell pizza and BINGO cards as the event gets closer.  Happy Friday Eagles!

2026-2027 DRES PTO

President - Katelyn Lane
Vice President - Deanna Rodgers
Treasurer - Kimberly Houston
Secretary - Jillian Simms
Visit DRES PTO on Facebook or @drespto on Instagram for more information on meetings and upcoming events.
 
Josh

Contact info

If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Principal Josh Torchia
  • 860 526 5319
  • jtorchia@reg4.k12.ct.us