HES Shark Scoop

It is getting cold outside. Please make sure your children are bundled and ready to play.

We will be starting our annual screenings soon. The list of what is screened is below by grade. These are mandated by the state. We will notify you shortly after we have performed these screenings if your child does not pass the hearing or vision. A referral letter will be sent home to follow up with your child’s pediatrician. If you do not want your child to be screened, please let me know in writing by December 15th. These screenings have been very instrumental in finding students in our school who need glasses or have hearing difficulties.

Coming soon! Harwich Elementary School nurses will be doing a "Healthy Eating Passport" for 3rd and 4th grade students in January! Students will be given a "passport" with fruits and vegetables listed. They will be offered these foods at school and families are also encouraged to try foods together at home. Other activities are planned for the students along the way over the next couple of months.

Studies show that children’s food preferences are shaped largely by familiarity, with early and repeated exposure to a wide variety of foods leading to healthier diets. Simple exposure-based techniques—whether in schools or at home—can significantly increase children’s liking and intake of fruits and vegetables.

With the upcoming retirement of current Superintendent Dr. Scott Carpenter at the end of this school year, the Monomoy Regional School Committee’s Superintendent Screening Committee has been meeting regularly over the past two months to review applications, select candidates to interview, interview candidates, and select finalists. The three finalists will be announced at the School Committee’s December 11, 2025, meeting. Staff, students, families, and community members will have the opportunity to meet the finalists on December 15 and 16. Attendees will be able to provide feedback after each meet and greet session. The School Committee values public input and encourages those interested to be a part of this process.

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.

Our communications provider has updated the phone number we use to send text messages. There will now be a local 10-digit phone number for standard messages, and a short code number for emergency messages, in line with industry best practices.

• Standard SMS messages will come from 508-213-3856.
• Emergency SMS messages will come from 53291

We recommend saving both numbers in your contacts as “MRSD” and "MRSD Emergency" so you always recognize messages from us.

Thank you for staying connected with us -- we’re committed to making sure you continue to receive timely and clear communication.

Did you know you can subscribe to the MRSD calendar? Events like holidays, early release days, and more will be added to your device for easy reference. To subscribe to the MRSD calendar and add it to your device:

Go to the calendar page on our website, then click the RSS feed icon at the upper right of the calendar and follow the steps (find support and additional instructions here).

We would love to have you join us for lunch one day! It's a wonderful chance to meet your child's friends and spend a little mid-day time connecting with them.

To reserve your spot on any day of the week, please complete this form.

To ensure a smooth and secure visit for everyone:

• Upon Arrival: Please sign in at the main office when you get here.

• After Lunch: We kindly ask that you return directly to the front office to sign out before you depart. To help the afternoon classes begin promptly and with minimal distraction, please do not accompany your child back to the classroom.

Thank you for your cooperation—we look forward to seeing you! 😊

Friday, December 5 -- Harwich Tree Lighting Ceremony 5:30 pm Doane Park

Saturday, December 6 -- PTO Holiday Bazaar 9am-noon

Tuesday, December 9 -- PTO Meeting Library 6:00 pm

Wednesday, December 10 -- Early Dismissal 1:35 pm

December 12 -- Session 1 After School Clubs End

December 22 - January 1 -- December Break NO SCHOOL

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!

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!

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

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