FRIDAY FOCUS
Monomoy Regional High School's Weekly Newsletter
With the upcoming retirement of Superintendent Scott Carpenter from Monomoy Regional School District after 13 years of service, there will be a Community Cookout on Friday, June 12, from 4-6 p.m. on the Monomoy Regional High School field. The event includes complimentary food, activities, and community fellowship at a drop-in event -- all are welcome. Note that this event is not sponsored, funded, or organized by Monomoy Regional School District.
Join us for our next Parent University: PreK-12 Literacy - Prevent the Summer Slide on Monday, June 15, at 6 p.m. in the Monomoy Regional High School Library. Our educators will share tips and strategies to help you support your child's reading and writing all summer long. Teachers will review the materials and expectations for each grade level, preschool through Grade 12, and we will be collecting information for Title grant planning. Childcare will be available, please email jjordan@monomoy.edu with the number and ages of children.
🎉Congratulations to Monomoy’s May Staff Shoutout honoree, Gregory Clancy! Mr. Clancy is Grade 7 Social Studies Teacher at Monomoy Regional Middle School, and was nominated by a number of his students as well by as a caregiver. Some of their comments include:
⭐ Mr. Clancy helps me learn in a fun and attention-grabbing way. He makes the entire class laugh at least once a day, and he takes what we learn and gives us an assignment that we actually want to do.
⭐ He also has a huge heart! We love our social studies class, and the projects we do are wicked fun!!
⭐ He helps me learn better and to do better in life.
Each month, the district has featured a staff member in our Staff Shoutout series. Staff members were nominated by students, parents/caregivers, and colleagues for outstanding positive contributions to our schools. You can see all of the honorees on our website at www.monomoy.edu/staffshoutout, and they will also be recognized at the School Committee meeting on June 11.
Please complete the transportation form in the Aspen family portal to let us know whether or not your student will be riding the bus for the 2026-2027 school year. Submitting this information now will help us make sure we have the right number of buses, on the right routes, with the right stops! There is no need to sign up for the bus just in case, if you don’t think you’ll need it. If circumstances change, your student can always be added later. Please submit your responses as soon as possible. Find more information, as well as step-by-step directions with photos, on our website.
As work begins on Phase 1 on the Monomoy Middle School Renovation Project, with the siding and windows being replaced, we are planning for Phase 2 - replacing the roof. The roof replacement work is necessary to protect our Towns’ investment in the middle school and the work currently being done to install new windows and siding. The roof project must be approved at Town Meeting in both towns next month, and at the ballot, in order to move ahead. You can find Phase 1 project updates, Phase 2 information, and a number of frequently asked questions on our website.
Department Awards
World Language Department
- Excellence in Latin – Emma Eldredge
- Excellence in French – Christopher Marchio
- Excellence in Spanish – Caroline Hadden
- Excellence in Mandarin – Alexa Vermaak
The following students were recognized for demonstrating Portrait of a Graduate attributes in World Languages:
- Creative & Critical Thinker – Emma Capen
- Independent & Confident Learner – Thomas Hereford
- Communication & Leader – Albert Reyes
- Engaged Citizen – Owen Cloney
Science and Technology Department
The following students were recognized for demonstrating Portrait of a Graduate attributes in Science and Technology:
- Creative & Critical Thinker – Autumn Escher
- Independent & Confident Learner – Elizabeth Cronen
- Communication & Leader – Kade Stephens
- Engaged Citizen – Maeve Kelleher
History Department
- Excellence in History – Emmett Giorgio
- Excellence in History – Joseph Thonus
The following students were recognized for demonstrating Portrait of a Graduate attributes in History:
- Creative & Critical Thinker – Georgia Storey
- Independent & Confident Learner – Aedan Leahey
- Communication & Leader – Caroline Hadden
- Engaged Citizen – Elizabeth Cronen
English Language Arts Department
- Excellence in ELA – Autumn Escher
The following students were recognized for demonstrating Portrait of a Graduate attributes in English Language Arts:
- Creative & Critical Thinker – Benjamin McMullen
- Independent & Confident Learner – Emma Eldredge
- Communication & Leader – Corinne Pina
- Engaged Citizen – Samantha Stewart
Visual and Performing Arts Department
- Excellence in Digital Media – Kate Huse
- Excellence in Visual Arts – Terah (Rose) Cobb
- Excellence in Photo/Design – Alexa Vermaak
- Excellence in Performing Arts – Bobbi Braz, Wellington Holmes, Boden Mabile and Emma Eldredge
- Excellence in 3-D Art – Trystan Berrio
- Excellence in Ceramics – Lucy Mello
The following students were recognized for demonstrating Portrait of a Graduate attributes in Visual and Performing Arts:
- Creative & Critical Thinker – Trystan Berrio
- Independent & Confident Learner – Alexa Vermaak
- Communication & Leader – Kate Huse
- Engaged Citizen – Lucy Mello
Wellness Department
- Excellence in Wellness – Hoku Hill
The following students were recognized for demonstrating Portrait of a Graduate attributes in Wellness:
- Creative & Critical Thinker – Alexis Goode
- Independent & Confident Learner – Ava Duncker
- Communication & Leader – Lizzie Cronen
- Engaged Citizen – Finn Buck
Mathematics Department
- Creative & Critical Thinker – Corinne Pina
- Independent & Confident Learner – Caroline Hadden
- Communication & Leader – Emma Eldredge
- Engaged Citizen – Emma Capen
Junior Book Awards
Many colleges and universities across the United States partner with high schools to award College Book Awards to exceptional high school students. The purpose of a College Book Award is to recognize distinguished youth, provide the next generation of emerging leaders an opportunity to develop a broader perspective of the world, and attract high-caliber students who are likely to succeed in the college’s programs. A number of colleges provide a book that is thematically aligned or written by an alum as part of the award.
University Of Massachusetts Amherst – Benjamin McMullen
Suffolk University – Zach Shield
Brown University – Autumn Escher
University Of Notre Dame – Emma Capen
Harvard University – Elizabeth Cronen
Smith College – Corrine Pina
Dartmouth College – Emma Eldredge
Massachusetts Institute Of Technology – Joseph Thonus
Tufts University – Georgia Storey
Endicott College – Tate Laramee
Saint Michael’s College – Kade Stephens And Leila Spencer
Yale University – Caroline Hadden
Bowdoin College – Max Cronen
Simmons University – Chloe Horan
Rensselaer Medalist – Kade Stephens
Congratulations to all!
The MassSTAR Citizenship Conference (hosted by the Massachusetts Youth Leadership Foundation) is an intensive three-day event that empowers high school sophomores to drive positive change in their communities. The 2026 conference was held on June 5–7 at Lasell College. The conference's interactive curriculum is based on the "5 Points of the Star”
Respect: Valuing the perspectives of others and recognizing one's role in a wider community.
Responsibility: Accepting the duty to serve others and lead proactively.
Collaboration: Building relationships and working as a unified team.
Initiative: Understanding one's own abilities and knowing how to take action instead of waiting for solutions.
Intentionality: Thinking critically about the impact of one's choices
Delegates are nominated by their high schools and attend the event free of charge.
Remi had a wonderfully enriching experience at MASSTAR. She was able to network with some of the best student citizens our state has to offer. She made meaningful relationships with her peers, many of whom she plans to remain in touch with. Congrats Remi!
SANDSCRIPT, our school magazine, is out and ready for your perusal!!! Currently, you can find the online version on our high school webpage under Clubs & Activities. Hard copies are now being shared with the student body. Soon, you will see hard copies in our high school and middle school libraries as well as the town libraries in Harwich, Chatham, and Brewster. SANDSCRIPT is full of wonderful writing, drawing, and photography.
Last Thursday, students in Spanish IV Honors had the extraordinary opportunity to interview Dr. Claudia Urrea, a Colombian educator, researcher, and technology leader affiliated with the MIT Media Lab and MIT Open Learning. Dr. Urrea has dedicated more than 20 years to advancing education and technology around the world, helping schools, governments, and organizations create innovative learning opportunities for students. She holds a doctorate from the MIT Media Lab and has worked with organizations such as One Laptop per Child and the Inter-American Development Bank.
During the videoconference, students conducted the interview primarily in Spanish, leading a natural and engaging conversation with Dr. Urrea. To make the most of her valuable time, the session concluded with a few additional questions in English. Students asked thoughtful questions about artificial intelligence, technology, innovation, education, and the challenges these rapidly evolving fields present for our society. Dr. Urrea answered each question with remarkable patience, generosity, and enthusiasm, encouraging students to think critically about the future and their role in shaping it.
This interview was part of an ongoing series of conversations with Hispanic students and professionals. Through these interviews, our Spanish IV Honors students have had the opportunity to learn from diverse experiences and perspectives. These experiences provide authentic opportunities to use Spanish in meaningful contexts while learning from individuals whose stories inspire curiosity, perseverance, and global awareness.
We are deeply grateful to Dr. Claudia Urrea for sharing her time, expertise, and insights with our students.
Profe is very proud of her students and the growth they have demonstrated in Spanish this year. It was truly wonderful to watch them lead a natural and spontaneous conversation with Dr. Urrea, confidently expressing their ideas, asking insightful questions, and engaging in thoughtful dialogue.
Together, the SAIL and SHORE students had a fun filled, learning adventure at the Buttonwood Zoo on Tuesday!
Today, the SAIL students met the Victorian residents at the Orleans Bowling Alley. They ordered and paid for their own lunches and enjoyed an afternoon of bowling and making connections! A good time was had by all!
Is your child looking to take driver's ed lessons? The Rotary Club of Harwich-Dennis offers financial assistance to students who qualify. Speak to their guidance counselor for the application and more information.
Learn more about the Monomoy SEPAC at https://www.monomoy.edu/parent-caregiver-resources/sepac
MRHS students are marked present or absent for each class. Students who exceed 10% absence in classes are at risk for losing credit in that class. For example, students may lose credit if they have:
- 5 absences in a term course
- 9 absences in a semester course
- 18 absences in a full-year course
- By 9th grade, attendance is a better predictor of graduation rates than 8th-grade test scores
- Chronically absent high school students had an average GPA of 2.8 vs. non-chronically absent classmates who had an average GPA of 3.5
- When students improve their attendance rates, they improve their academic prospects and chances for graduating
Triple Crown Awards
Thirty two triple crown awards were given out to athletes who lettered in all three seasons this school year. They are listed below with the sports they played:
The Monomoy All Sports Booster Club now has an online merchandise store!
Grab spirit wear for the whole family and support our student-athletes at the same time.
Shop now: https://nausetscreenprinting.printavo.com/merch/monomoy-sharks/
Every purchase helps support all Monomoy sports programs - thank you for backing our Sharks!
SUN Bucks applications are now open! SUN Bucks is a food benefit for families with children during the summer months, previously known as Summer EBT. SUN Bucks provides a $120 lump-sum summer benefit per school-aged child for income-eligible families. The program is administered by the state Department of Transitional Assistance in partnership with DESE and with assistance from schools. All enrolled students identified as meeting the income eligibility standards for free or reduced-price lunch during school year 2025-26, either through an NSLP household paper application or direct certification, are automatically eligible for SUN Bucks. Students identified as homeless, migrant, runaway or participating in Head Start are also automatically eligible. Students who do not meet the aforementioned criteria can apply for SUN Bucks benefits through DTA by visiting www.DTAConnect.com.
Contact Us!
Email: mrhs@monomoy.edu
Website: mrhs.monomoy.edu
Location: 75 Oak Street, Harwich, MA, USA
Phone: 508-430-7200