HES Shark Scoop

Happy Friday, HES Families!

It has been another wonderful week at Harwich Elementary!

Over the last couple of weeks, many of our students have received their very first "Reading Coin", a special token honoring their dedication to reading at home. As a reminder, students are asked to read for 20 minutes each evening. Consistent home reading practice is essential to your child's growth, and we love seeing their hard work recognized!

We are excited to welcome caregivers into the building next week for Parent / Teacher Conferences. This is a valuable opportunity to share your hopes and dreams for your child and to hear how they have transitioned into the new school year.

To help conferences run smoothly:

• Arrive on time: Appointments are scheduled closely together so teachers can meet with every caregiver.

• Bring notes: Write down your most important questions in advance to make the most of your time together.

Your partnership next week, and every day, is deeply appreciated. Our Sharks flourish best when home and school work hand-in-hand.

Have a fantastic weekend!

Christie

We look to build a strong school advisory council this year to guide our important work. A school council is a representative, school building-based committee that meets quarterly and is composed of the principal, parents, teachers, and community members. School councils may assist principals in:

1. Adopting educational goals for the school that are consistent with local educational policies and statewide student performance standards

2. Identifying the educational needs of students attending the school

3. Reviewing the annual school building budget

4. Formulating a school improvement plan

5. Reviewing the student handbook
   
   

If you are interested please send an email message to Principal Cutone at ccutone@monomoy.edu indicating your interest in serving on the school council.

It was a fun day back in the garden as the Garden Club started our fall cleanup and harvested the last of our tomatoes, blackberries, and green beans for the season.

National School Bus Safety Week is held each year to reinforce one shared priority: keeping students safe on and around the school bus.

• Drivers: Always stop when the lights are flashing and the arm is out, and be alert for students entering or exiting the bus
• Students: Follow all directions from the adults on the bus and only exit and cross when told it's safe to go

We all have a part in keeping our youngsters safe!

Congratulations to the first Monomoy Staff Shoutout of this school year - Charity Rossetti! Charity is a member of the cafeteria team at Harwich Elementary and was nominated by a colleague, who wrote:

"Charity is one of the first faces when students get off the bus in the morning as they grab breakfast, and she greets every student with a genuine smile. She knows children's preferences, and even though there is a large group of students getting breakfast, she never makes anyone feel rushed. This compassion continues into lunch service as she makes every Shark feel valued and appreciated. Even in brief interactions, one can see that Charity values each and every student in the building. Charity's positivity extends to her interactions with coworkers throughout the building as she helps everyone find a smile."

Way to go, Charity!

Who will you nominate for October? Click here to recognize one of our staff members for going above and beyond!

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. As usual, you will need to have a CORI on file in the office.

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! 😊

Monomoy Regional School District participates in the National School Lunch (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP). As part of these programs, all schools offer healthy meals every school day at NO COST to the students, due to the implementation of the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) for school year 2026-2027. Students receive Breakfast and Lunch (1st meal) at school without having to pay a fee or submit a household application. Find more information on our Food Services website.

Tuesday, October 27 -- Parent Teacher Conferences 11:00 am Dismissal

Wednesday, October 28 -- All Shark Meeting 8:15 am / HES Spirit Day!

Thursday, October 29 -- Parent Teacher Conferences 11:00 am Dismissal

Wednesday, November 4 -- Early Release 1:35 pm Dismissal

Tuesday, November 10--Fall Picture Retake Day

Wednesday, November 11 -- Holiday NO SCHOOL

November 16-20 – Fall Bookfair

Wednesday, November 18 -- Early Release 1:35 pm Dismissal

November 25, 26, 27 -- Holidays NO SCHOOL

We appreciate your patience and flexibility as our towns undergo a variety of roadwork projects. You will find the most accurate and current information about road closures and detours on our town websites and on the social media pages of local public safety:

• Town of Harwich Website - this page has weekly updates from the contractors, along with detours and recommended school transportation pickup and dropoff spots
• Harwich Police Facebook Page
• Town of Chatham Website
• Chatham Police Facebook Page

These resources are also linked on our website. We ask that everyone be prepared for some slight delays as road construction projects continue in the coming weeks.

The SHORE Food Pantry at Monomoy Regional High School has been selected again as a nonprofit partner in the Stop & Shop Bloomin’ 4 Good Program! The SHORE Food Pantry will receive $1 for each $11.99 specially marked Bloomin’ 4 Good bouquet sold throughout the month of October 2026 at the East Harwich Stop & Shop location. The funds raised will help eliminate food insecurities for our Monomoy students, families, and community. Find more information on the food pantry at https://www.monomoy.edu/shore-food-pantry.

Did you know that you can use tools right in your web browser to translate any website you are visiting?

• The Monomoy website has translation tools accessible by clicking the button at the upper left corner of the site.

• When visiting any website, you can set your browser to translate the content.

• Aspen is our Student Information System, where you can see your student’s grades and other important information. Aspen allows users to change the default language from English to Haitian Creole, Spanish, or Portuguese. If you need translation to another language, you can use your browser settings to do so.

• We have shared details and instructions on our website for how to adjust these settings.

• You can find more information on our website about other translation tools we have available in our schools.

If you have problems using any of these tools, please email webmaster@monomoy.edu.

Community partners including Children’s Cove, Barnstable County, the Cape & Islands District Attorney’s Office, Monomoy Regional School District, and the towns of Chatham and Harwich are coming together to offer information and education to parents and caregivers on digital safety for young people. The event, titled Keeping Kids Safe Online: Learn how to navigate safety discussions, will be held on November 4, 2026 at 5:30 p.m at Brooks Free Library in Harwich and on November 9, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. at the Chatham Community Center. Both sessions will share the same information, so attendees can select the one that better suits their needs. Childcare will be available at both sessions. Registration is requested for these events:

• Harwich, 11/4/26, Registration Link: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/g/sqqptp0XjK

• Chatham, 11/9/26, Registration Link: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/g/8uRAbkC6vE

Parents, caregivers, and anyone engaged with youth are encouraged to attend this important conversation.

Did you know that all past issues of the HES Shark Scoop are linked on our website? If you missed an issue and want to find the information, you can find them all on our site.

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