HES Shark Scoop

Welcome back! It has been a fun and very busy week! Everyone seems to have a smile on their face these days. It is nice to see so many familiar and new faces.I have several items I want to share with you.

1. If your child has an inhaler, epipen, or other medication they need to take/have available at school please bring it in soon. If you do not know the process for doing this and what is needed, please contact me and I will let you know.

2. If you have not filled out the health information in Aspen please do so ASAP. At last count less than half of the health history forms and over-the-counter (OTC) consents had been submitted.

3. When your child has a physical, please ask your pediatrician to fax a copy of it to me. My fax number is 1-508-744-6387.

4. Next week, I will be sending home forms if you would like your child seen by Polished Dental. They will be coming to HES on October 7th. They are a dental team that cleans teeth, checks for cavities, puts sealant on teeth that need it, and then sends home a form detailing any issues that should be addressed. This is offered free to all students. If you have dental insurance they will charge the insurance company. If you have a dentist your child goes to and you want them to see Polished Dental also, please let us know so they do not charge your insurance so that your dentist may.

5. We have an organization called Cape Kid Meals that offers weekend meals for students. If it would be helpful for your child to receive these meals, please let me know. There are no questions asked. We want to make sure our students are nourishing their bodies so they can nourish their minds. These meal bags are distributed on Thursday or Friday. They are put in the child’s backpack during the day while students are in class.

6. Please let me know if there is anything I can help you with. I have many resources that I can direct you to such as finding a pediatrician for your child, help registering for SNAP, medical insurance, etc.

My email is jginsburg@monomoy.edu or feel free to call the school to talk to me.

Monday, September 8 -- First Day of School PreK

Wednesday, September 10 -- Early Release 1:35 Dismissal

Tuesday, September 23 -- Curriculum Night Grades 2-4, 5:30-7:30

Wednesday, September 24 -- Early Release 1:35 Dismissal

Thursday, September 25 -- Curriculum Night Grades K-1, 5:30-7:30

Tuesday, September 30 -- Fall School Picture Day

Per the handbook, if your child is unable to attend school, please enter the absence in PickUp Patrol and/or call our designated attendance line, 617-848-0115, as early as possible. Soon after arrival, our office staff begins to call the caregivers of absent students if we haven't already heard from them. This is important, as we want to ensure that all students are safe. Your phone message with the reason for the absence is all we need. While an email to the teacher is helpful, it sometimes doesn't make its way to the office staff. Thank you for your help!

It's a pleasure to introduce our new Elementary IT Technician, Cristina Loureiro.

Cristina is no stranger to working in schools. Before joining Harwich Elementary, she spent eight years as an IT Technician at Nauset Regional School District, where she worked at the high school and later provided district-wide technical support. Her experience working at the IT Help Desk at Fitchburg State University solidified her desire to work in education. Cristina is passionate about making technology accessible to everyone and teaching different ways to use it. She was drawn to the Monomoy community because she had heard amazing things about it and was ready for a change.

Outside of school, Cristina enjoys reading and spending time with her family and friends. A fun fact about Cristina is that her family is from Portugal, and most of them still live there. She understands most of the language but says she isn't as fluent as she'd like to be.

When asked what she's most looking forward to this school year, Cristina said, "Getting to know all the staff and students!". She hopes to connect with students and their families by providing excellent tech support and ensuring their school devices are working properly.

We are thrilled to welcome Margaret Millette-Loomis, our new Speech-Language Pathologist.

Margaret previously worked at Nauset and was inspired to become a speech-language pathologist to help students from ages 3-22 "exercise their right to access grade level curriculum and grow into the best communicators that they can be". She has a background in Early Intervention, working with children from birth to age 3, and has experience in various educational and healthcare settings. She loves language and literacy and enjoys helping students gain new skills. Margaret was drawn to Harwich Elementary due to the "HUGE positive vibe" and the noticeable laughter and smiles she saw when she walked through the doors.

Outside of school, Margaret loves to walk and swim at the beach, read, bake, paint, and write. A fun fact about her is that she was a coxswain on the men's crew team in college. The coxswain is the person who steers the boat, directs the rowers, and acts as the captain during practices and races.

When asked what she's most looking forward to this school year, Margaret said, "Helping students learn!". She hopes to connect with students and families by establishing in-person connections and maintaining steady communication through regular written updates.

Let's extend a warm welcome to Shannon Rinkus, our new Grade 1 Classroom Teacher.

Shannon's roots run deep in the Harwich Elementary School community. She grew up in the area and was a student at HES herself. She even had her first year of teaching here, with two veteran educators, Mrs. Hirschberger and Mrs. Cloney, taking her "under their wings" to help her fly. Shannon credits her second-grade teacher at HES, Mrs. Johnson, as her inspiration to become an educator. Her favorite school memory is being nominated for the Brooks Medal Award when she was a fourth-grader at HES. She feels that her ability to build close relationships with her students is one of her greatest strengths.

Outside of school, Shannon enjoys spending time with her family, going on beach walks, and doing arts and crafts. A fun fact about Shannon is that she painted the Disney mural hanging in the hallway near the nurse's office at HES. If she weren't in education, she said her dream job would be to be an artist. Her favorite quote is "If you can dream it, you can do it!" by Walt Disney.

Shannon is most looking forward to reconnecting with fellow staff members and being back in the community that shaped her. She hopes to connect with students and families through open communication and regular updates, and she plans to take lots of pictures to capture the special moments of first grade.

Our faculty and staff are amazing – and we want them to get recognized for the great work they do! Each month, we 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 using the simple form at www.monomoy.edu/staffshoutout.

Harwich Elementary is looking for parent volunteers to serve on our School Council for the 2025–2026 school year. The Council plays an important role in supporting our school by:

• Helping to set educational goals consistent with state standards and local policies

• Identifying the educational needs of our students

• Reviewing the annual school budget

• Assisting in developing our School Improvement Plan

The Council will meet four times during the year for one hour after school hours.

If you are interested in serving, please submit a brief email of interest to either of our PTO Presidents, Jill Petell and Julia Maker, @ harwichpto@monomoy.edu. Parent representatives will be chosen through an election by all HES parents, organized by the PTO.

We encourage you to consider this opportunity to make a difference in our school community!

The Bureau of Special Education Appeals, which derives its authority from both federal and Massachusetts statutes and regulations (the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; "IDEA"; MGL ch.71B; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973) conducts due process hearings and renders Rulings and Decisions concerning eligibility, evaluation, placement, individualized education programs (IEP), provision of special education and procedural protections for students with disabilities.
To join an Informational Session: https://www.mass.gov/service-details/mediation-and-facilitation-informational-sessions
To learn about BSEA Mediation: https://www.mass.gov/mediation-at-the-bsea
To learn about Hearings at the BSEA: https://www.mass.gov/due-process-hearings

Did you know? Past issues of the HES Shark Scoop can be found on our website at https://hes.monomoy.edu/news/hes-shark-scoop.

Ms. Allyson Joy, Assistant Principal

Email: ccutone@monomoy.edu
Website: https://www.monomoy.edu/Domain/9
Location: 263 South Street, Harwich, MA, USA
Phone: 508-430-7216
Twitter: @monomoyschools