September 2026 MRMHS Newsletter

September 7

• Labor Day (No School) — All day

September 8

• Town of Swanzey State Primary Election — 6:45 a.m.–10:00 p.m.
• Workshop Day (No Students) — 7:15 a.m.–2:45 p.m.

September 14

• Picture Day — All day
• Athletic Hall of Fame Meeting — 5:30–7:00 p.m.

September 16

• •Local Colleges Mini Fair — 9:15–9:45 a.m.

September 25

• Progress Report Grades Close
• Pep Rally

October 1–2

• NEASC Collaborative Conference Visit

October 9

• Parent/Teacher Conferences — All day
• Workshop Day (No Students)

October 12

• No School (Columbus Day)

October 15

• ApplyNH

October 21

• Fall SAT — All day

Please be sure to complete the Free and Reduced-Price Meal Application. Most importantly, completing this application helps ensure that eligible students and families receive the resources they need. Our schoolwide eligibility rate can also help MRMHS qualify for grants, equipment, and additional services. We encourage all families to apply.

If you have any questions, please email Beth Cox, Director of Nutritional Services, at bcox@mrsd.org.

Dear MRMHS Students and Families:

Thank you for helping us begin the 2026–2027 school year on such a positive note. Although no opening is ever perfectly smooth, I am proud of the many ways our students and staff have worked together to make MRMHS welcoming, safe, and focused on learning and well-being.

Our seniors marked their final first day of school with a Senior Sunrise gathering. Even without much actual sunrise, it was a wonderful way for the Class of 2027 to begin the year and create an early memory together.

During the opening days, Mrs. Russell and Mrs. Willbarger met with each grade level to review school expectations, Husky PRIDE, and other important information about how we do school at MRMHS. We will continue reinforcing Perseverance, Responsibility, Respect, Integrity, Determination, and Empathy throughout the year.

September will be a busy month, including Picture Day, MCVP prevention workshops, Homecoming Week, athletics, and preparation for our October 1–2 NEASC Collaborative Conference Visit. Please continue watching school communications and our website for details and schedule updates.

Homecoming Week: September 21–26

Homecoming Week will include spirit activities throughout the week and visits to our elementary schools, culminating in a full day of Husky events on Saturday, September 26. Events include the parade, soccer, field hockey, and football. Additional details will be shared as we get closer to the week.

Athletic schedules can change, so families should use the MRMHS Athletics Calendar for the most current information about home and away games.

NEASC Visit: October 1–2

MRMHS will welcome a visiting committee from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges for our Collaborative Conference Visit. Students may see committee members visiting classrooms and speaking with students, staff, and families. This is an important opportunity to celebrate our strengths and continue identifying priorities for school improvement.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support.

Brett Gottheimer

Principal

Monadnock Regional Middle High School

Come cheer on our student-athletes and show your school spirit. Be sure to check out the MRMHS Athletics Calendar for the most updated dates throughout the year!

Be sure to check out our Monadnock Huskies Athletics Facebook page— and give it a follow to stay connected:

👉 Monadnock Huskies Athletics Facebook: Facebook Page
👉 Game and Practice schedules: https://arbiterlive.com/School/Calendar/14955

Fall sports are underway, and we are excited to see our student-athletes competing and representing MRMHS with Husky PRIDE. We encourage families, students, and community members to come out and support our teams throughout September.

Homecoming Week will run September 21–26, with games and activities throughout the week. Some games are at home and others are away. Because schedules are subject to change, please check https://www.monadnockathletics.com/ for the most current dates, times, and locations.

Homecoming Saturday — September 26

Join us for a full day of Husky events, including the parade, soccer, field hockey, and football. More details will be shared as we get closer.

Athletic Training

Our Athletic Trainer, Dana Dearborn, works directly with high school athletes and partners with Cheshire Medical Center’s orthopedics department. Students should check in with their coach and the Athletic Trainer regarding injuries.

WANT TO GET INVOLVED?

Whether you’re interested in coaching, volunteering, supporting a team, or helping Husky Athletics in another way, reach out to the Athletic Director, Shannon Topa, to learn how you can get involved!

Go Huskies! 💚🤍

Shannon Topa
Athletic Director
Monadnock Regional Middle High School

Welcome back! I hope everyone had a wonderful summer and is settling into a happy and healthy school year. I look forward to supporting our students and helping them stay healthy, safe, and ready to learn.

Students entering seventh grade are required by the State of New Hampshire to have the Tdap vaccine/booster. The Health Office is still missing updated documentation for more than 40 students.

If your child has received the vaccine, please send an updated immunization record to the Health Office. If your child will not receive the vaccine due to a medical, religious, or parental exemption, the appropriate exemption form must be completed and submitted to the school.

Please contact me with any questions or if you need an exemption form. Thank you for helping us keep our school community healthy!

Lisa Brooks, RN, BSN

MRMHS Nurse

603-903-6701

lbrooks@mrsd.org

MRMHS is once again partnering with Monadnock Center for Violence Prevention (MCVP) to provide developmentally appropriate violence-prevention programming for all high school grade levels.

Opt-out forms are due Friday, September 18, 2026. You can return them to the High School AP Office or email the form to Mrs. Russell at rrussell@mrsd.org.

Select the letter for your student's grade:

Grade 9 — Wired for Connection: Digital safety, healthy and unhealthy online behavior, technology boundaries, consent, peer pressure, relevant laws, and trusted resources.

Grade 10 — Behind the Post: A two-day, media-based workshop about unhealthy relationship behaviors, social media, and digital consent.

Grade 11 — In Their Shoes: An immersive learning experience focused on teen dating violence, relationship choices, warning signs, support, and available resources.

Grade 12 — Escalation: A two-day, media-based workshop about how unhealthy relationship behaviors can escalate, recognizing warning signs, supporting others, and accessing resources.

Families have the right to request that their student not participate. Completed opt-out forms must be returned by Friday, September 18, 2026. The grade-specific parent letters and forms have been shared with families. Questions about MCVP programming may be directed to educatorprev@mcvprevention.org.

• River Valley Early College

  • New Hampshire students can take two early-college classes for free. The River Valley Community College Early College Online program now allows students to register directly with the seven community colleges rather than through the VLACS-based program. See the flyer below for details.

September 16 — Mini College Fair during WIN

• Students can meet admissions counselors from colleges and universities across New Hampshire.

September — College Meetings

• Students should set up a meeting with their school counselor to begin the college application process.

September 30 — NEACAC College Fair

• Seniors may attend the college fair at Mount Wachusett Community College. Bright-yellow permission slips are available in the School Counseling Office.

Senior To-Do List

• Sign up for Senior WIN sessions.

• Start the Common Application.

Financial Planning 101

• Monadnock senior families are invited to a Zoom presentation by New Hampshire Granite Edvance on November 12, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. The session will provide information and support for the new FAFSA and financial aid process.

Welcome to our new Middle School Counselor, Ms. Pimentel who begins on September 8th! Her email is mpimentel@mrsd.org

Starting Middle School — Helping Your Child Manage the Work and the Worries

Starting middle school is a big transition. Students are suddenly juggling multiple teachers, changing classrooms, more homework, long-term projects, new social dynamics, and more responsibility. It can be exciting, but it can also feel overwhelming.

Help them build a system, not just a schedule

Encourage your child to use the tools the school provides, such as a planner, assignment calendar, and Google Classroom. At home, establish a simple routine: a consistent place for homework, a regular time to check assignments, and a quick backpack check before school. Help students break larger tasks into smaller steps. Think of yourself as a coach: ask what they need to do, when it is due, and what their plan is—then give them room to practice managing it.

Take anxiety seriously without letting it take over

It is normal to feel nervous about starting middle school. Listen first and ask which specific part worries your child most. Once the concern is clear, help make a plan. Walking through the school, reviewing the schedule, practicing the locker, and identifying where to go for help can make unfamiliar routines feel manageable.

Let them struggle a little

Mistakes are part of learning independence. When possible, resist immediately rescuing a forgotten assignment or book. Help your child reflect on what happened and what they can do differently tomorrow.

Know when to step in

If anxiety is persistent, causes frequent physical complaints, interferes with sleep or daily life, affects attendance, or limits your child’s ability to function, contact the school counselor, teachers, pediatrician, or a mental-health professional.

Most importantly, remind your child that they do not need to have middle school figured out immediately. The first few weeks are for learning the building, routines, expectations, and themselves as middle school students.

Resources

• Child Mind Institute: Back-to-School Anxiety — childmind.org/article/back-school-anxiety/
• Child Mind Institute: Starting Middle School — childmind.org/bio/faith-wilkins/

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