The SHARK Alert

Dear friends and families of CES SHARKS,

This week our 3rd and 4th-grade students will participate in the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) English Language Arts testing. MCAS testing is important because it provides an objective measure of student and school progress, helps identify areas needing support, and ensures accountability for schools and districts, ultimately aiming to improve student outcomes and ensure they are prepared for college, careers, and life. While successful completion of the MCAS exams are no longer a graduation requirement in Massachusetts, our state, district, and school will continue to use the assessment to inform instruction and decision-making.

• Grade 3 students will test on Tuesday and Wednesday.
• Grade 4 students will test on Thursday and Friday.

Before any big assessment we recommend the following:

• a good night's sleep
• a healthy breakfast (breakfast is served at school as well)
• plenty of water
• arriving at school on time (student's who arrive after 8:15 will have to retest on a different date)
• lots of encouragement

MCAS is a great opportunity for our SHARKS to show-off how much they have learned this year! We believe in our SHARKS and encourage them to put forth their best effort during testing. Please join us in cheering on our scholarly SHARKS as they start testing this week.

In other news, our incredible community is preparing to grow! CES is thrilled to announce the Pups Prekindergarten Program for the 2025-2026 school year. This full-day, prekindergarten program will serve students ages 3 and 4. More information can be found below. Additionally, registration for Kindergarten is currently underway. Children who will be 5 years old by September 1st are encouraged to register now!

Also in this newsletter you will find information about our March Madness Reading Contest, upcoming Parent University on digital safety, and an incredible fundraiser this weekend to benefit the family of former CES preschool teacher, Shannon Hubbard. Please take a few moments to read through all of the upcoming events.

Good luck to all our testing students and have a wonderful week ahead!

Sincerely yours,

Dr. Kelly

To help meet the needs of children and families in the community, Monomoy Regional School District is launching a new pre-kindergarten program. Monomoy’s Pups pre-kindergarten program is designed to meet critical developmental needs of young children by providing a full-day, language-rich environment with comprehensive wrap-around services.

We are committed to providing a nurturing and stimulating learning environment for all children, and this program offers the ability to meet the specific needs of those learning English as a second language. This is a full, school-day program designed to support all families in our community, particularly those experiencing housing insecurities, low income, and/or challenges with transportation and access to high-quality pre-kindergarten programming.

The Pups program will be located in available space at Chatham Elementary School, and will be open to families in Chatham and Harwich.

• It will offer access for students ages 3 and 4 in one mixed-age classroom for students.
• Students must be age 3 prior to September 1 in order to enroll.
• The program will offer a full-day schedule of 6.25 hours, five days per week.
• Students in the program will have access to free lunch through MRSD Food Services, as well as wrap-around services such as Polish Dental, Outer Cape Health Navigator, CFS family counseling, and numerous family engagement supports.
• Transportation will be provided for students in the Pups program.

This form must be submitted by April 30, 2025. If there are more students interested than available spaces, a lottery will be held. If needed, a lottery will be held May 1, 2025. Following that step, families will be contacted about enrolling their students, including submission of proof of residency and other documentation.

If you have questions, please contact Monomoy’s Central Registrar, Roberta Simmons, at 857-777-5863 or rsimmons@monomoy.edu.

This program is pending budget approval at Town Meeting and town elections in Chatham and Harwich, and the ability to hire a qualified educator.

Starting March 31, the first phase of road work for the placement of sewers will begin on Route 39 in East Harwich. Our Transportation Coordinator is in frequent contact with the construction team in order to minimize disruptions to school bus routes. Moving forward, if there are any specific changes to bus stops or routes, our Transportation Coordinator will contact those families directly. It is recommended that anyone traveling in this area allow for extra time, as through traffic will be detoured while the road work is underway.

After weeks of reading and matchups, it's time for the Final Four showdowns this week in Library classes. Students will vote for their favorites in the following matchups:

• I AM MADE OF MOUNTAINS vs. COUGAR CROSSING
• OUR POOL vs. WITH DAD

Stay tuned for next week's announcement of the 2025 CES Read Across America Finals!!!

The PTO meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 6:00 pm in the Media Center. Parents that would like to attend from home can connect via the Zoom Meeting Link provided below. There are lots of activities coming soon and all sorts of help is needed.

Upcoming Events:

Fun Run - May 21st

Field Day - June 3rd

Next Meeting is Tuesday, April 8th: Google Meets Link

Learn more about past meetings at: PTO Meeting Notes

Beginning in 2008, members of the Chatham Fire Department have taken part in an April Fools’ Day

“plunge” at one of our local beaches. Each year, we swim and raise money in support of a different local individual or family.

This year marks the 18th year that the April Fools from Chatham Fire have led the community into the frigid waters. The Chatham Firefighters have done an outstanding job of rallying the community behind some amazingly brave people. This year, we will swim for the Hubbard Family - John, Jack, Shannon, and Maggie.

On October 13, 2024, while the Hubbards were vacationing at a rental home in Clinton, New York, a fire broke out in the home. Tragically, Shannon and their one-year-old daughter Maggie lost their lives as a result. Shannon was a beloved educator in the Monomoy School District, most recently working at the Chatham Elementary School. John Hubbard, a Dennis Police Patrolman, and their 3-year-old son Jack survived the fire.

Please join the April Fools of Chatham Fire at Hardings Beach in Chatham on Sunday, April 6 th at 1 pm for an icy plunge into Nantucket Sound and consider donating to support the Hubbard Family during this challenging time. We hope to make this our biggest and best swim yet. Swimmers and spectators are welcome. There is no better way to slam the door on the winter season than to take your first refreshing dip of the year!

Donations of all amounts are graciously accepted. T-shirts will be available for $25 prior to the event and any remaining will be sold at the swim. A free post-swim BBQ will be held at the Chatham VFW

immediately following the swim.

If you would like to donate but are not able to attend, you may donate online via the “April Fools Plunge for Hubbard Family” GoFundMe page, or cash and checks will be collected at the swim or may be sent to:

April Fools

Chatham Fire Department

135 Depot Rd.

Chatham, MA 02633

(508) 945-2324

Thank you,

Justin Tavano

Chatham Fire Department

Event Coordinator

• Monday, April 7th - Melissa Stewart Author Visit
• Tuesday, April 8th - Grade 3 ELA MCAS
• Wednesday, April 9th - Grade 3 ELA MCAS
• Thursday, April 10th - Grade 4 ELA MCAS
• Friday, April 11th - Grade 4 ELA MCAS
• Monday, April 14th - African Drumming Day at CES!!
• Tuesday, April 15th - Parent University - Digital Mindfulness
• Wednesday, April 16th - SHARK Assembly
• Friday, April18th - Session III Clubs End
• Monday, April 21st - Friday, April 25th - NO SCHOOL - April Vacation

A HUGE thank you to Assistant Superintendent Dr. Robin Millen and Community Engagement Coordinator Mrs. Joy Jordan for their support and hard work of the Pups Prekindergarten Program! Their dedication to our community exceeds all SHARKS expectations!!!

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