HMK's Monday Message

HMK was nominated to receive the Science of Reading Star Award Nominee 2026 certificate from Amplify! Our school was nominated and received an official certificate of nomination for all the work that is being done in our school around the Science of Reading! As the principal I am super proud of the work you do everyday and this is just more proof and recognition of how amazing each and everyone of our teachers are here at HMK!

It is with great pride that I share this news out to the HMK families! Nurse Mary works hard here at HMK each week serving our students with love and compassion. This is a well-deserved award and we are all very proud of her!

Utah School Nurse Association’s Mary Ito Award.

This award was created to honor the legacy of Mary Ito and her philosophy to “Live Well, Laugh Often, and Love Much.” Today, we recognize someone who doesn't just work in school nursing; they embody that philosophy through a tireless commitment to students in a rural, medically underserved community.

To understand why this recipient was chosen, you have to understand the landscape of their work. Imagine being the only school nurse for an entire district, providing oversight for nearly 1,500 students across three schools, a preschool, and an alternative high school. In a region often described as an “Island in the Desert,” this individual has become the vital connector between families and the care they desperately need.

In 2019, this nurse became the first full-time school nurse their town had seen in at least three generations. Since then, they have stared down significant barriers: financial hardship, intergenerational poverty, and the isolation of a frontier area where the nearest pediatric sedation dentist is a 120-mile drive away.

Instead of seeing these distances as obstacles, this nurse sees them as opportunities for collaboration.

• They have coordinated an annual clinic with the BYU Family Nurse Practitioner Program, bringing 30 students and 10 faculty members over three hours away to serve local kids.

• They’ve partnered with the Community Multicultural Center to break down language barriers.

• They’ve innovated dental and vision programs that have screened hundreds of students, ensuring that no child’s health falls through the cracks simply because of their zip code.

Their guiding motto is simple: “Say YES to any opportunity to form a partnership that will benefit health services.”

This proactive spirit hasn’t just impacted their local district; it has inspired nurses across the country. This individual was even featured on the National Association of School Nurses' podcast, Beyond Band-Aids, sharing their expertise on children’s dental health.

Whether she is navigating the challenges of Grand County or building bridges between schools and healthcare providers, her leadership and compassion are unwavering.

It is my absolute honor to announce that the recipient of the Mary Ito Award—for her incredible heart and her service to the students of Moab—is Mary Frothingham.

A huge thank you to all the teachers and students who supported our 2nd Playground Clean-up Challenge! Our students showed incredible school pride as they worked to pull weeds, pick up litter, and make our school grounds shine.

We are excited to announce the Classroom Winners who earned a Popsicles Playground Party with the Principal last Friday!

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🏆 Classroom Champions:

• Kindergarten: Mrs. Bertuzzi

• 1st Grade: Mrs. Spencer

• 2nd Grade: Ms. Sheila

• (Note: Unfortunately, we had no entries for 3rd or 4th grade this time).

• 5th Grade:

  • Weed Warriors: Mrs. Hall

  • Trash Patrol: Mrs. Zender

• 6th Grade:

• Weed Warriors: Ms. McKay

• Trash Patrol: Mrs. Nichols

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Student Honors:

The following students are being recognized for showing exceptional effort and leadership during the cleanup challenge:

• Mrs. Bertuzzi: Sebastian Mclaughlin, Arlo Groves

• Mrs. Spencer: Cooper Crowe, Lucas Campbell, Rhett Stubbs

• Ms. Sheila: Mesa Veniegas, Violet Preece

• Ms. Onderko: Trinity Sjoblom, Zierra Myers

• Mrs. Burraston: Elloise Poor, Zannah Cook, Jane Bishoff

• Mrs. Hall: Reef Cameron, Addie Apadaca, Felicity Hays

• Mrs. Zender: Henry Marinelli, Coen Cloward, Maeve Trim, Victoria Castilla, Carlos Barragan, Jenil Patel

• Mrs. Nichol: Tennley Jensen

• Ms. McKay: Harlen Monceaux

• Just 5 minutes of your time provides invaluable insight that directly supports our educators. This feedback is a vital part of each teacher’s individual evaluation cycle, helping them celebrate their successes and refine their goals for the future.

  
  

Our teachers pour so much into our students every day; taking a moment to share your perspective is a powerful way to support their professional growth and ensure our classrooms continue to thrive.

• Please use the link below to share your voice: 👉👉 HMK High Reliability Schools Parent Survey Link

Thank you for your time, your honesty, and your ongoing support of the HMK teaching team!

The crippled but amazing @colin_topper@yahoo.com & I have been working on getting a bike bus going in Moab. Here's a brief video overview of cities that have implemented successful bike buses.

We are starting the official bike bus tomorrow, 7:30 am Friday April 10th to school and will help oversee this every Friday morning until school ends for Summer. Looking online, the most successful bike buses have a lot of leadership support (County, City, Schools, etc). We wanted to invite you to join us at any point.

You can join & pedal with us all or just meet us at the start or finish or any point in between to cheer on & encourage these awesome kids that are getting outside & riding their bikes.. Both things that will make them happy in life.

🔎QUICK GLANCE AT IMPORTANT INFO/DATES:

• Monday, April 27th
• ALO Reading Testing with Grades 3-6
• Last week of TEAM Time for K-2
• 1:00-2:30 2nd Grade Field Trip to YGP - Burraston
• Tuesday, April 28th
• 1:00-2:30 2nd Grade Field Trip to YGP - Tyner
• Wednesday, April 29th

• 1:00-2:30 2nd Grade Field Trip to YGP - Nelson

  5:15-8:00 Regular Board Meeting - Budget Revision

• Thursday, April 30th
• 1:00-2:30 2nd Grade Field Trip to YGP - Onderko
• Friday, May 1st
• Early Out Friday

🔎QUICK GLANCE AT IMPORTANT INFO/DATES:

• Monday, May 4th
• Happy STAR WARS DAY!
• Acadience Reading & Math Testing K-2 & Acadience Math Testing for 3rd
• 8:30-9:00 ~ 4th-6th Assembly Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company in Gym
• 9:15-9:45 ~ K-3 Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company
• Tuesday, May 5th
• Happy Cinco de Mayo!
• Wednesday, May 6th
• Normal Wednesday
• Thursday, May 7th
• Normal Thursday
• Friday, May 8th
• Early-Out Friday

• May 11th - 14th
• Dental Varnish with BYU
• Monday, May 11th
• 9:00-10:30 ~ 1st Grade Field Trip to YGP - Henderson
• Tuesday, May 12th
• 9:00-10:30 ~ 1st Grade Field Trip to YGP - McKinney
• 1:00 -3:00 ~ 2nd Grade Pool Day
• Wednesday, May 13th ~ Last Day of BEACON
• Thursday, May 14th
• 5:30-6:30 STEM Night ~ Milo + Friends ~ Play to Learn Event ~ Ages 3-5 @ HMK
• Friday, May 15th ~ 6th grade visits Middle School (MLHMS)
• Monday, May 18th
• 9:00-10:30 ~ 1st Grade Field Trip to YGP - Spencer

• Tuesday, May 19th
• 9:00 Fire Drill
• 5th Grade Science Day
• 9:30-12:00 ~ 1st Grade Picnic in the Park & Swim Day
• 10:30-11:30 ~ Kinder Pool Day - Guerrero & Bertuzzi
• 12:00-1:00 ~ Kinder Pool Day - Roy & Ms. Mikalyn
• 1:00-3:00 ~ 3rd Grade Pool Day
• 2:30-3:00 ~ 2nd Grade Opera
• Wednesday, May 20th
• 5th Grade River Trip
• Board Meeting @ 5:15
• Thursday, May 21st
• HMK Field Day
• Friday, May 22nd
• 10:00-12:00 ~ 6th Grade World Fair
• Monday, May 25th ~ MEMORIAL DAY - NO SCHOOL
• Tuesday, May 26th
• 8:30-3:30 ~ 6th Grade Wave Pool Field Trip
• 12:15-1:15 ~ 1st Grade Talent Show Practice in GYM
• Wednesday, May 27th
• 8:30-9:30 ~ 6th Grade Graduation Practice
• 1:30-3:00 ~ 6th Grade Swim Day
• 1:00-3:00 ~ 1st Grade Talent Show in the GYM
• Thursday, May 28th ~ LAST DAY OF SCHOOL
• 8:30-9:30 ~ Kindergarten Graduation (outside under big tree)
• Bring your own lawn chair and please be sure to leave an isle when sitting for students to walk down.
• 10:30-11:30 ~ 6th Grade Graduation in the GYM

We often say it takes a village to raise a child, but at our school, it takes a dedicated team to help them thrive. We are currently looking for passionate individuals to join our staff and make a direct impact on our students' daily lives.

If you—or someone you know—is looking for a rewarding role within our community, we would love to hear from you!

Positions:

We are currently working to recruit and hire more substitute teachers, and we would love your help. If you or someone you know is interested in working with students, enjoys a flexible schedule, and wants to make a positive impact in our school community, this is a great opportunity. Training and support are provided, and substitutes play a vital role in keeping our school running smoothly.

How you can help:

• Consider applying to be a substitute teacher yourself.
• Share this opportunity with family, friends, neighbors, or community members who may be a good fit.
• Contact our school office for more information about how to apply or direct interested individuals to the district’s substitute application page [CLICK HERE].

Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting our students. Together, we can ensure that every classroom has the support it needs every day.