The SHARK Alert

Welcome to this week's SHARK Alert! Our school family is officially complete after welcoming our youngest Pups—our 3- and 4-year-olds—to campus this past week. To mark the occasion, the entire school gathered in the courtyard on Friday morning for an all-school dance party, where our SHARKS showed off some truly fintastic dance moves. That same morning, our 4th-grade students represented our school with honor and respect as they participated in the 9/11 Memorial Service at the Chatham Fire Department.

We are jumping right into our first full 5-day week of the school year, and it is packed with excitement! Afterschool clubs begin on Monday. PLEASE, update your student's Pick Up Patrol dismissal informaton accordingly. Our classroom teachers dismiss students based on their Pick Up Patrol plan.

Also this week, we celebrate our first SHARK Assembly on Wednesday. Please wear your SHARK gear to join in the fun! Later, several of our classes are taking full advantage of our coastal location to extend their classroom learning: Grade 1 is heading out to discover the wonders of the beach at low tide, while Grade 4 sets off to explore the tall ship Lynx. We are also thrilled to welcome all of our students and families to Back to School Night this Thursday. Please see the details below—we hope to see you there to celebrate and learn more about all the incredible experiences happening at CES!

Sincerely yours,

Dr. Kelly

Students and families are warmly invited to Chatham Elementary School’s Back to School Night on Thursday evening from 5:30 to 7:00 PM. Join us for a lively evening of community, learning, and fun! To help you navigate the building and make the most of your visit, follow this simple guide for your journey:

1. Pick Up Your Passport – Head directly to your student's homeroom to collect their event passport. This will serve as your official boarding pass and roadmap to the evening's destinations.

2. Explore Classrooms & Destinations – Once you have your passport, set off to discover learning spaces across the entire school.

   • Your Homeroom Stop: Visit your student's homeroom to meet the teacher and complete a designated class activity. (Tip: If the room is crowded when you arrive, feel free to visit other stops first and loop back later.)

   • Around the World: Check off the other classrooms listed on your passport to get a glimpse of learning across all grade levels.

3. Dive into the SHARK Tank – Make your way to the cafeteria to check out the SHARK Tank. This central hub features tables with local community resources, school organizations, and essential information for Chatham families.

4. Return Passports & Win Prizes – Drop your completed passport into the collection bins near the main exit doors before leaving. Returned passports will be entered into a raffle for exciting prizes—including the grand prize of becoming Principal for the Day!

As noted in our School Handbooks, Monomoy Regional School District is committed to developing a comprehensive program that provides support and services that address the five core competencies of social and emotional learning (SEL). This goal has been developed and supported by members of the school community in alignment with the district's strategic plan. The five core competencies of SEL are: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills and responsible decision-making. In order to gain a better understanding of the needs of our students, assessment tools are used to obtain baseline data regarding the social and emotional competencies of the students in grades 3-12, including the SELIS and SSIS. These questionnaires are administered a few times a school year to collect data and identify trends. Data from student responses are collected and analyzed to assist in developing a strategy for implementing SEL throughout the curriculum as well as analyzing trends throughout the student body and school year. If you would like to opt your child out of participating in these questionnaires, please email Melissa Maguire at mmaguire@monomoy.edu by October 1, or within 30 days of enrollment.

We are thrilled to welcome Mrs. Nancy Gifford to the CES team as our new STEM teacher this year! Mrs. Gifford comes to us from the middle school, where she previously taught science and robotics. She brings an incredible depth of scientific knowledge to our school, paired with a true passion for sparking curiosity and critical thinking in young learners.

Dedicated to making science engaging and dynamic, Mrs. Gifford fills her curriculum with exciting, hands-on activities that let students experiment, build, and explore. As you can see from the photos below, our SHARKS are already loving every minute of their time in the STEM room. We are so happy to have Mrs. Gifford on board and cannot wait to see all the innovative projects she has in store for us this year!

Monomoy’s Portrait of a Graduate serves as a roadmap for developing well-rounded individuals who excel academically and contribute meaningfully to their communities. Central to this vision is the Engaged Citizen competency, which encourages students to cultivate empathy, act with unyielding integrity, and actively participate in civic life. Developing these core values begins long before high school graduation, as students learn that meaningful citizenship involves honoring history, valuing community partnerships, and demonstrating respect for the world around them.

On Friday, our 4th graders put these principles into action during a memorial service at the Chatham Fire Department honoring the 25th anniversary of the September 11th attacks. Stepping into a key leadership role, our students guided the gathered crowd in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. Throughout the solemn service, their quiet focus, deep attention, and utmost respect provided a clear demonstration of our Engaged Citizen values in practice—showing that even our youngest learners understand how to act with empathy, honor shared history, and serve as civic role models for our entire community.

As we begin the new school year, all families are required to complete the Student Annual Health History and Over-the-Counter Medication Consent Form for each student.

Please complete and submit the form using the link below:

https://www.monomoy.edu/our-district/health-services/student-annual-health-history-form

This form provides the school nurse with important health information and consent for approved over-the-counter medications, as applicable.

Thank you for completing this form and helping us keep your child safe and healthy at school.

Medications at School

If your child will need medication at school, such as an inhaler or EpiPen, please obtain a new medication order from your healthcare provider before the first day of school.

Questions or health updates? Please don’t hesitate to reach out to Nurse Heidi at hfrench@monomoy.edu. We’re looking forward to a healthy and happy school year!

PTO Meeting Dates:

• October 13
• November 10
• December 8
• January 12
• February 9
• March 9
• April 13
• June 8

Next Meeting: Tuesday, October 13th

Thank you to Ms. Macomber and Mr. Gessner's classes for representing our school at the Chatham 9/11 Memorial Ceremony.

Thank you to the Chatham Fire Department and Chatham Police Department for their assistance in last week's fire drill. We are happy to report that we were able to safely exit the building and account for every shark in under 2 mintues time. Well done SHARKS!

Thank you families for your patience as we acclimate students to full-time school. We appreciate the time you take to read these notices, follow procedures & protocols, and your thoughtful feedback. It takes all of us working together to create such an incredilbe learning commmunity!

We want to hear from you! We know that Monomoy is filled with great people - here's your chance to help highlight them! Our Staff Shoutouts recognize a member of our team each month, and nominations are now open. While it's still early in the school year, we're sure there are Sharks who have gone above and beyond - go to www.monomoy.edu/staffshoutout and tell us about them.

• Monday, September 14th - After-School Clubs Session I Begins
• Wednesday, September 16th - SHARK Assembly
• Thursday, September 17th - Grade 1 to Red River Beach, Grade 4 to Lynx Tall Ship
• Thursday, September 17th - Back to School Night
• Friday, September 18th - CES Picture Day!

SHORE Food Pantry Begins September 10!
The SHORE Food Pantry at MRHS will begin serving all Monomoy families Thursday, September 10! The weekly pantry is open to everyone, and no sign-up is required. Families can simply drive up, fill their bags with the items they need, and take them home.

When & Where
Date: Every Thursday, beginning September 10
Time: 9:15 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Location: Monomoy Regional High School, Outside of Building B, Door 4
Families are welcome to stop by during the pantry hours and take what they need ... no registration or appointment necessary.

If you have any questions, contact Shana Grogan at sgrogan@monomoy.edu. In partnership with Stop & Shop, we look forward to supporting our families through the SHORE Food Pantry!

Email: jakelly@monomoy.edu
Website: http://ces.monomoy.edu/
Location: 147 Depot Road, Chatham, MA, USA
Phone: 508-945-5135
Facebook: facebook.com/ChathamElementarySchoolPto

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuaO-WElYPYfj1kU9LfhSzw
Instagram: ChathamElemMRSD