2025-2026 Handbook

Elementary Student Handbook

Principal's Note:

Hello MDES Families,

We have had another wonderful, bustling week here at school as we transition into the final stretch of the school year and prepare to welcome June.

Welcoming Our Youngest Learners

This week, it was an absolute joy to welcome our incoming Pre-K and Kindergarten students to the building for their screenings. It was a pleasure to meet new families and to connect with returning families whose children are now joining their older siblings here at school. The future is bright, and we are so excited to welcome these new faces to our school community!

8th Grade Spotlight: Art, Nature, and Boston!

Our 8th graders had a fantastic experience exploring the beautiful Asticou Azalea Garden this week. Under the expert guidance of photographer Katherine Emery, students worked on honing their photography skills and capturing the natural beauty around them.

This trip was a wonderful prelude to next week, as our 8th graders pack their bags and head off for their highly-anticipated class trip to Boston, MA! We wish them a safe, fun, and memorable adventure.

Looking Ahead to Next Week

Next week features one of our favorite annual traditions: Coach Norwood’s end-of-year hikes!

Parents and guardians are warmly invited to lace up their sneakers and participate with us. * Please keep an eye out for specific schedule details and from Coach Norwood and your child's teacher regarding their designated hike day.

A Note from the Health Office With our students spending so much time outdoors next week for hikes and field trips, please check in with Nurse Ashley if you have any questions regarding our school guidelines for sunscreen and insect repellent. We want to make sure everyone stays safe and comfortable in the sun!

Thank you all for your continued support and enthusiasm. Have a wonderful weekend!

Thank you,

Heather Dorr, M.Ed.

She/Her

Principal, 

Mount Desert Elementary School 

June 1st-3rd 8th Grade Class trip

June 1st-5th Hike and Bike Week

June 9th- 8th Grade Promotion, 5pm 

June 10th- MDES Field Day

June 11th- Last Day of School - Early Release 

Fun in Prek

6th Grade

Grade 6 This I Believe Podcast

This spring, Grade 6 students wrote This I Believe essays modeled after the essay project of the same name originally produced by NPR in the 1950s and hosted by journalist Edward R. Murrow. In the early 2000s, NPR revived its This I Believe project and broadcast over 200 essays between 2005 and 2009. Altogether tens of thousands of essays have been collected between the two sets of series. 

The This I Believe essay is an opinion piece with a narrative flair. It includes elements of personal narrative, as well as research and observations about life. The focus is on what everyday people believe in and care about. Our purpose is not to persuade you to believe exactly as we do; instead, we hope to encourage people to respect everyone’s unique beliefs and differences. We hope you enjoy our This I Believe broadcast from the 2026 Grade 6 Class. (Link below)                       

(NOTE: Our podcasts are published as a continuous MP3 download link. The broadcast starts with an introduction, followed by the student essays. Each podcast has a Canva cover with the student’s name and essay title. You will see these pop up as you move through the broadcast. You can also use the scroll bar at the bottom of the screen to move to specific essays. ENJOY!)

Athletic Calendar subject to change.

Athletic Calendar

2025-2026 School Calendar

Mustang Cafe

Art News

First grade took a walking trip to Dan Falt's Art studio in NEH to work on a colorful fish art project. 

Music News

Tick season is in full swing! Daily tick checks go a long way in preventing Lyme disease. This includes checking your clothing and gear for ticks. Here are some other ways to prevent tick bites that are recommended by the Maine CDC:

Check pets for ticks. Pets can bring ticks into the home that can bite a family member later. Check any pets that go outside for ticks and remove them. Talk to your veterinarian about ways to protect your pets from ticks.

Shower soon after being outdoors. Take a shower within 2 hours of coming indoors. This can help remove crawling ticks and is a good time to do a tick check. If you can't shower, use a wet washcloth to wipe down your skin to catch any crawling ticks while doing your tick check.

Check your entire body for ticks. Remember that ticks can be as small as a poppy seed. Use a mirror to help you check all over your body. Make sure to check:

-In and around the hair

-In and around the ears

-Under the arms

-Inside the belly button

-Around the waist

-Between the legs

-Behind the knees

Remove ticks as soon as possible. If you find a tick attached, use tweezers or a tick spoon to remove the tick quickly. Make sure to grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible. Avoid pinching the tick in the middle of its body. Put the tick in a sealed container to throw away or place it in rubbing alcohol to preserve it for later testing, and contact your provider for next steps.

Happy Spring!

Nurse Ashley

Garden News

Growing Gardens, Growing Minds: MDES School Garden Project

MDES School Garden Project seedling sale was a GREAT success! The Mount Desert Elementary School children and garden folk send their deepest thanks to all who bought plants to support our school garden! The 5th graders, who entirely ran the sale, were the most amazing hosts~representing their school with honor and kindness. The class received many compliments about how helpful and proud they were to be clerks, cashiers and representatives of their school~a very important lesson in good citizenship! 

The school garden farm stand is set up across from the NEH Library and ready for customers-there is a box for money/honor system. The plants need good homes and over the long weekend ahead-plants are at REDUCED prices. Plants on the farm stand will be put into the greenhouse in the afternoon/night--both doors are open and people can go inside for selections at any time--money box will be on the table--checks made out to MDES Garden. Thanks to everyone for supporting the MDES school garden program!

https://www.facebook.com/MDESSchoolgardenproject

Library News