FRIDAY FOCUS

The MRSD Food Services Department wants to hear from students, parents/caregivers, and staff members -- share your feedback on the offerings in our cafeterias. Please take this brief, anonymous survey. The survey will close January 21, 2026. Thank you!

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Our school is currently experiencing an increase in influenza (flu) cases and flu-like illnesses. To protect our students and staff, we need your partnership in preventing further spread.

When to Keep Your Child Home:

• Fever: Temperature of 100.4°F (37.8°C) or higher.

• Vomiting or Diarrhea: Must be symptom-free for 24 hours.

• Flu Symptoms: Sudden fever, chills, body aches, fatigue, sore throat, or a hacking cough.

Do NOT Send Your Child to School If:

• You've given fever-reducing medicine (Tylenol/Motrin) to mask symptoms; they are still contagious.

• They are too unwell to participate in class.

Return to School Guidelines:

• Students must be fever-free for a full 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication.

• Symptoms should be significantly improving.

Prevention is Key:

• Handwashing: Wash hands frequently with soap and water.

• Cough Etiquette: Cover coughs/sneezes with an elbow or tissue.

• Stay Home: The best way to prevent the spread of germs.

• Flu Vaccine: Highly recommended for protection.

Thank you for helping us keep our school community healthy! Please the High School Health Office with any questions.

Congratulations to the December MRSD Staff Shoutout honoree, J. Wyatt Sullivan! Mr. Sullivan is a Grade 7 ELA teacher at Monomoy Regional Middle School, and has been nominated by multiple students -- here are some of their comments:

“He never judged where I came from or who I was, he focused on guiding me toward who I wanted to become.”

“He made us look at things in a different way and taught us so many things we will carry with us throughout life. He is an inspiration to all and he deserves all the recognition in this world.”

Each month, the district will feature a staff member in our Staff Shoutout series. Staff members can be nominated by students, parents/caregivers, and colleagues for outstanding positive contributions to our schools at www.monomoy.edu/staffshoutout. Nominations for January are now open! Any staff members nominated previously can be nominated again, except for those already honored this year.

Our district is a member of the Federation for Children with Special Needs and we have access to monthly workshops under an All-Access Pass. You can find the full calendar of events, as well as links to register, at https://fcsn.org/events/. You can register for multiple workshops at that link. Once registered, you will receive a link for the virtual session.

On December 18, the Animal Welfare Club visited the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History in Brewster to learn about how they take care of the animals they have, as well as how they help local wildlife. Many thanks to Animal Care Team members Tyanna and Keri for giving us more than an hour of their time and for sharing their wonderful knowledge about the creatures themselves and how they are kept safe and healthy. Photos show members of the club and some of the special animals we met.

Hoku Hill earned UCA All-American honors this summer after trying out at camp as a member of the Monomoy Cheerleading Team. She participated in the New Year's Eve Parade in London along with other girls from around the United States representing America. It's one of the highest honors a cheerleader can receive.

Congratulations to Thomas, pictured here with his family and the president of the Chatham Rotary Club, Doug Grattan. Members of the Rotary were so impressed by Thomas' outstanding academic record, his many accomplishments and the variety of leadership opportunities provided by Monomoy High School. Thomas shared his passion for community service, including earning the honor of Eagle Scout, being class president, and his leadership role as captain of both the Varsity Golf Team and the Robotics team. To quote his counselor, "Thomas is an athlete and a scholar, he is a teacher and a student, he is a leader and a uniter." Congratulations Thomas!

The AP Research students at Monomoy RHS have all designed original research projects to explore a subject of their interest. Many of these projects are using surveys to collect data, some from students and some from adults. Next week, we will put links in the Friday Focus for these surveys that need adult volunteers. Some of these will be for people with a specific background (e.g., small business owners), and some will be for the general public. Each survey link (these will be Google Forms) will include a description of topic and length so you can make an informed choice as to whether you want to participate. We hope you will take one or more of these to support our students. Thank you!

• Go to YBpay.lifetouch.com
• Enter code 9900726
• Enter your student info

If you require financial assistance to purchase a yearbook please reach out to Mrs. Katie Francesconi at kfrancesconi@monomoy.edu

Attention Class of 2026 caregivers: We still have senior ads available for purchase!

• 1/4 page ad is $25
• 1/2 page ad is $50
• Full page ad is $100

Purchase yours today and the yearbook team will design your ad in January. A great way to include a personal message to your senior and include more photos. Reach out to Mrs. Katie Francesconi if you have any questions.

Learn more about the Monomoy SEPAC at https://www.monomoy.edu/sepac

MRHS is on Instagram at @monomoyhighschool!

Sign up to be a vendor: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe3-qR8lBDqRzlpdkJ9qlgaTmDlwEewjXMRYqubqw_dQsu46A/viewform?pli=1

The class of 2027 will be selling items at the Robotics tournament on Saturday, January 17. Please consider baking some cupcakes or cookies (or bringing some cold drinks).

We'd appreciate it if you could wrap items for individual sale (ziploc bags or plastic wrap).

Items can be brought to Guidance on Friday, January 16 or to school the day of the event.

If you’d like personalized help completing your FAFSA, we have an event you won’t want to miss. At our virtual FAFSA Festival on Thurs, Jan 15th, 4:00–6:00 p.m., you’ll be paired with an expert who can answer any of your questions and provide assistance completing the application. It’s completely free, and you can arrive any time during the two-hour block. Register now.

If your child applies for financial aid, you may receive completely different packages from the colleges that offer acceptance. Why is there often such a difference in the financial aid received? And how do colleges determine exactly how much to offer each student? Our article provides some insight.

Did you know MEFA has a podcast? It covers a range of college planning topics including financial aid, student loans, trending careers, and more. And it features interviews with subject matter experts from a wide spectrum of backgrounds and organizations. Our summary provides more details.

• Caregiver Talking Points
• Training Flyer (English)
• Training Flyer (Spanish)

Dear Students and Parents/Guardians

As your student navigates the college application process, it is critical to focus on the next major step: securing financial aid and scholarships. It is important for students to be active in this process, track deadlines, and complete all necessary applications as soon as possible.

Below is a breakdown of the essential applications, key deadlines, and next steps.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

FAFSA is a free application used by the government to determine your Student Aid Index (SAI), which colleges use to calculate your eligibility for need-based aid.

Start at studentaid.gov. Both the student and one parent need an FSA ID to complete the application. While the federal deadline is in June, many states and colleges have priority deadlines much earlier (often in January or February). You will never need to pay to create a FAFSA account - please be cautious of scams.

If you need support filling out your FAFSA, please consider attending the MEFA FAFSA Festival on January 15th where you will be paired up virtually with a financial advisor to support completion and answer any of your questions.

CSS Profile

The CSS Profile is a more detailed financial aid application through College Board that provides colleges with a deeper look into your family's finances. It may be required by certain colleges to be considered for institutional financial aid. A full list of schools that require the CSS Profile is also available on the College Board website.

Scholarships

Institutional Scholarships (Merit-Based): Many colleges automatically consider students for merit-based aid based on their application - GPA, test scores, etc. Check if the college requires a separate application or essay for their biggest scholarships. Missing a deadline means a missed opportunity! When in doubt, please contact the college/university's financial aid office for questions as they have the most current information.

External/Private Scholarships: These are scholarships offered by private organizations, businesses, and community groups. We encourage students to actively search for these using reliable, free scholarship databases.

• Naviance: Local and community scholarships are posted in Naviance as we receive information. All seniors have an account and should check under the “Colleges,” then “Scholarship Search” tabs.

• Monomoy Dollars for Scholars and Cape Cod Foundation/Cape Cod Association: There will be presentations for the seniors in January on these programs.

• Mrs. Casey can mail transcripts and letters of recommendation to the scholarship organizations. Letters of recommendation are confidential and will not be given directly to the students. Please allow adequate time for items to be gathered and mailed as appropriate.

Additional Resources

• The Financial Aid 101 Presentation is posted on the MRHS Website. Please reference the video here for more information.

• MEFA has a broad range of financial aid information available on their website, as well as frequent webinars/virtual presentations in the evenings and on-demand. Click here to sign up for their newsletter.

Sincerely,

MRHS Guidance and School Counseling Department

The Cape Cod Foundation and Cape Cod Association online applications are open. Review the information seen here to learn more. Please help spread the word to other students and families across Barnstable County!

APPLY TODAY: https://www.grantinterface.com/Home/Logon?urlkey=capecodfoundationscholarships

Reminder: Please use a personal email address you check frequently and have access to permanently, NOT a high school email address.

The Brazilian Resource Center is the leading 501(c)(3) non-profit organization fully focused on assisting the low-income, homeless and immigrant community on Cape Cod and the Islands. We provide direct services, collaboration with governmental and non-profit organizations, and community-building activities to over 8000 residents, many of whom use multiple services many times a year.

https://brazilianresourcecenter.org/

Please apply early - https://www.capecod.edu/apply/

Hello All- You will be receiving a letter towards the end of November. This message is to serve as advanced notice. Full payment will be expected by March 1, 2026.

All students enrolled in AP classes are expected to take the culminating exams in May 2026. Earning scores high enough on these tests could potentially lead to college credit. In addition, this exam takes the place of the course final. Exam fees are determined by the College Board; each exam is $99.00 (For those who are eligible based on household income, the cost is $40.00 per exam)

• One exam: $99.00

• Two exams: $198.00

• Three (or more) exams: $297.00

Audrey Brewer, Grade 8, abrewer@monomoy.edu

Lindsay Ginnetty, Instructional Leader, Grades 9-12 (last names A-F), lginnetty@monomoy.edu

Caitlyn Hall, Grades 9-12 (last names G-N), chall@monomoy.edu

Jonathan Bennett, Grades 9-12 (last names O-Z), jbennett@monomoy.edu

Follow us on Instagram: @MonomoyGuidance

Wishing you health and safety, The MRHS Counseling Team

Monday 1/12

V Girls Basketball @ 3:00

Tues. 1/13

V Indoor Track @ 12:30

Fr. Boys Basketball @ 2:15

Wed. 1/14

V Girls Ice Hockey @ 10:45am

Fri. 1/16

V Indoor Track @ 12:45

Fr. Girls Basketball @ 2:30

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!

The Monomoy Booster Club is hosting a Comedy Night Fundraiser to support our student-athletes! The event will be held Friday, March 20, 2026, at the Pelham House Resort. Find more information and get tickets at https://www.funny4funds.com/events/monomoy-booster-club-comedy-show-fundraiser/1636. We hope you can join us!

Follow us on Instagram for game results, scores, updates, and more!: @monomoyathletics

Check out these offerings from Harwich Youth and Family Services!

To report your child's absence, tardy, or upcoming dismissal please use the following link:

https://mrhs.monomoy.edu/attendance

Did you know? Past issues of the Friday Focus can be found on our website:

https://mrhs.monomoy.edu/news/friday-focus

Monomoy Regional High School operations and activities are guided by Monomoy Regional School District policies and school-specific procedures. The MRHS Handbook is a resource for families and students, providing information and guidelines for a variety of topics. If you have additional questions not covered here, contact MRHS at (508) 430-7200.

https://mrhs.monomoy.edu/parent-caregiver-resources/school-handbook

Email: mrhs@monomoy.edu
Website: mrhs.monomoy.edu
Location: 75 Oak Street, Harwich, MA, USA
Phone: 508-430-7200

MRSD Latest News/Updates: https://www.monomoy.edu/our-district/latest-news

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monomoyschools

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/monomoyregion

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@monomoyschools

Official Monomoy Regional SD App: Download from App Store or Google Play