Shark Bytes
April 30, 2023- Community Newsletter
Dear Monomoy Middle School Families,
As you may know, next week is Teacher Appreciation Week, and it is a wonderful opportunity for us to celebrate and show our gratitude for the hardworking and dedicated teachers who play such an important role in our student's lives. There are many simple and thoughtful ways your student can express gratitude, such as writing a note of thanks, sending an email, or even just saying a simple thank you in person. Your words and actions will mean a lot to our teachers and let them know that their hard work is valued and appreciated.
Teachers Rock!
Adam O'Shea
Principal
Congratulations Breonna! Monomoy Middle School student named winner of Governor’s Portrait Essay Contest: Breonna Mody honored at State House by Governor Healey and Lieutenant Governor Driscoll
April 27, 2023 – After a statewide student essay competition, Governor Maura T. Healey and Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll have unveiled the portraits that will hang in their offices. The student winners and their families were present for the unveiling in the Governor’s Ceremonial Office on Wednesday. Breonna Mody, a 7th-grade student at Monomoy Regional Middle School, was among the honorees.
Governor Healey will hang a gold frame in her ceremonial office to inspire young people to envision themselves in it. This idea was proposed in a collaborative essay submitted by Julian Hynes, an 11th grader at Amherst-Pelham Regional High School, and Ja’liyah Santiago and Adniley Velez, 8th graders at Holyoke Community Charter School, titled “Inspiring Change and Dangerous Hope: Unequal Representation in the Commonwealth.”
“Our proposal is to break from tradition, to hang nothing but an empty frame to remind you that there will be large groups of people that remain underrepresented, voiceless, and invisible,” wrote Hynes, Santiago, and Velez. “Look forward not back for your inspiration. Look at the young, the poor, the people of color, and the ones who need the most help. Look at the empty frame and then around the table and ask, ‘Who is not represented here?’ Then, break free from the symbolic fetters that bind you and invite them.”
“The State House is the People’s House – and symbols matter. I was inspired by this submission from Julian, Ja’liyah and Adniley, who considered how they themselves could be the face of leadership in our state. This frame serves as a reminder of those who aren't always reflected or heard in the halls of power,” said Governor Healey. “When people come into this office, I want them to envision themselves in that frame. For me, it will remind me of the young people who are looking to our administration right now, and of our commitment to ensuring that all voices are heard.”
Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll will hang the portrait of former Acting Governor Jane Swift, who was also present for Wednesday’s unveiling. Swift was elected Lieutenant Governor in 1998 and rose to Acting Governor in 2001 when Governor Cellucci resigned to become U.S. Ambassador to Canada. She was the first woman to serve as Governor in Massachusetts history. She was instrumental in cementing Massachusetts’ role as the nationwide leader in education and has continued her advocacy to strengthen our schools, in addition to transforming her family farm in Williamstown into an education and rescue center.
“Governor Healey and I have long been inspired by Governor Swift, and it was heartwarming to see so many students feel the same,” said Lieutenant Governor Driscoll. “She helped pave the way for us to serve as the first all-women team in Massachusetts history, and she inspired a lasting legacy of educational excellence in our state. I’m honored to hang her portrait in my office.”
“We’d like to thank the more than 100 students who submitted thoughtful essays to this contest. It was certainly a hard decision to make, but we learned a lot from reading each one – and we know the students did too,” said Education Secretary Patrick Tutwiler. “We’re grateful to all of the educators, administrators and family members who supported the students in submitting their essays and helped us get the word out about the contest.”
Announcements
WAM (We are Monomoy) Seminar is in Need of Donations: Diversity, ancestry, and more. Monomoy Middle School’s WAM! seminar is planning, designing, and creating a signpost to honor all these important community aspects, a signpost is perfect! But… We need your help! We need assistance with the painting and construction and more! So if you are interested in volunteering with us, please email bthompson@monomoy.edu Materials needed: Wood and Help!
Spring Clubs Have Begun!: Please note that this is an abridged club session and will end on June 9th.
Revolutionary Comics: Please enjoy reading these remarkable comics made by our students at the link below. I am genuinely blown away by some of their work, and even learned a thing or 2 from them. I hope they brighten your day with their expression, persistence and their developed craft. -Mr. Turnbull
https://misterturnbullsartclass.blogspot.com/2023/04/revolutionary-comics.html
Quarter 3 Grades: Students received paper report cards at the end of the day on Friday, and they are also available in Aspen. Congrats to all the students for all your hard work! We will be announcing Honor Roll and distributing pins during lunches this week.
Old News and Reminders
Dental Cleanings: On May 30th we will be offering dental cleanings at school. Students who were signed up in the past do not need to sign up again, as permission is good for a year. If you are new to our dental cleanings, sign up here.
Students Selling Items: Please be aware that students are not permitted to bring in items to school for sale. For example, it is not permitted for a student to buy packs of gum in bulk and then sell them individually to students at school for profit. The exception to this would be for a school approved fundraiser. If you have any questions regarding this, please reach out to the MRMS school administrators.
MCAS Dates:
Science, Technology, Engineering (Grade 5 only)
May 16th (Tuesday)
May 17th (Wednesday)
May 18-19 (Make-up)
Mathematics (Grades 5-7)
May 23th (Tuesday)
May 24th (Wednesday) (Early Release)
May 25th-May 26th (Make-up)
Rotating Schedule: Please use this link to stay on top of our rotating schedule.