HES Shark Scoop
September 2, 2022
School Starts Next Week for K-4
Dear Harwich Elementary School Families,
What a joy it was to see many happy Sharks and their families at this week's ice cream social. Many, many thanks to our dedicated PTO for planning this extraordinary opportunity for us to gather to celebrate the opening of a new school year!
Next week, we will enthusiastically welcome our Sharks back to school. For your convenience, I am repeating much of the back-to-school details that will help you and your children begin the new school year with confidence. Two critical items that need your attention before the first day of school:
- Drop off and pick up car lines are live lines. This means that adults do not park or get out of cars. For safety, children must exit and enter cars on the passenger side door. Please stay in single file, wait for all cars to empty or load children, and then proceed behind the car in front of you. Remember, with the exception of some preschool plans, pickup and drop off will only be at Door 3 this year.
- PickUpPatrol (PUP) is the only way that caregivers can control student dismissal plans. Please ensure that you have downloaded the PUP app and that you have established a default dismissal plan for your child(ren). If you need assistance, please call the main office on Tuesday to ensure that your plan is established.
Please reach out with any questions or concerns. Have a wonderful long holiday weekend!
My best,
Christie Cutone, Principal
A Note From the Wellness Office
Hello from the HES Wellness Office!!
My name is Heather Stamp and I am the new school nurse at Harwich Elementary along with Amy Sullivan who has been a float nurse in the district for over 10 years. We are so excited to welcome your students for what is sure to be an amazing year at HES!
As we start off the school year, we wanted to remind you that there are many students in the building with life threatening food allergies. Please keep this in mind when you are packing your child’s snack and/or lunch. In order to create a safe school environment for all students, Monomoy school buildings and classrooms are designated as “Allergy Aware”. Allergy Aware indicates an effort on the part of the school to make the community (students, staff, families, etc) aware that there are students with food allergies in the classroom or building. There will be a designated table in the cafeteria for students with allergies, should they choose to sit there. If your child has a life threatening allergy, please feel free to call us to discuss their seating preferences. We are here to keep all of your students safe and healthy.
Be on the lookout for more health updates from the Wellness Office throughout the school year. And please don’t hesitate to reach out at any time with questions or concerns.
We are excited to be caring for your students!
Heather Stamp hstamp@monomoy.edu
Amy Sullivan asullivan@monomoy.edu
508-430-7216
Mark Your Calendar
Tuesday, September 6 -- First Day of School Grades 1-4
Tuesday & Wednesday, September 6 & 7 -- K Transition Mtgs.
Thursday, September 8 -- First Day of School for Kindergarten
Wednesday, September 7 -- Preschool Meet & Greet
Monday, September 12 -- First Day of School for Preschool
Monday, September 12 -- PTO Meeting in the Library 7pm
Sept. 19-23 -- MRSD Safety Week
Tuesday, September 20 -- Curriculum Night for Grades 2-4, 5:30 -7:00pm (Adults Only)
Thursday, September 22 -- Curriculum Night for Grades PreK - 1, 5:30-7:00pm (Adults Only)
Friday, September 23 -- Half Day for Students 11am Dismissal
Wednesday, September 14 & 28 -- Early Release Days
Arrival and Dismissal
Arrivals
Buses are unloaded at 7:35am when the bell rings and proper supervision is available. Early morning drop-off is from 7:15 to 7:30am at Door 2, where students enter the building and are supervised in the cafeteria. Caregiver drop-off will be from 7:35 to 7:45am at Door 3 ONLY this year (K, Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3 and Grade 4). After 7:45am, students must be brought to the Main Office Door 1 by an adult and checked in to school with the front office staff. Students entering the building after 7:45am are tardy.
Dismissal
Beginning at 2:05pm, students are dismissed to the caregiver pickup doors as their car arrives or called to their buses from their classrooms. Walkers report to the Office and then are dismissed through Door 1. Students who are attending after-school programs will be dismissed to these locations or picked up at their classroom by program staff.
Caregiver Pick-Up and Drop-Off Placards
Each family receives a dashboard placard for Door 3. Placards must be used to make this process most efficient. Please place the placard on your passenger side dashboard for a smooth transition pick-up.
Click here for a Map of HES Drop Off and Pick Up
Pickup Patrol
Please enter all dismissal/transportation changes (either one-time or recurring) into PickUp Patrol. PickUp Patrol is our online system for parents to communicate dismissal plan changes to the school. Parents with an existing account will be able to continue to make changes as they have in the past. Parents of kindergarteners and new students will receive an email at the beginning of the school year with PickUp Patrol login instructions. Dismissal changes can be entered from a computer or smart phone at any time until 12:45pm on the day of the changes (12pm on Early Release Wednesdays). Changes can be made days, weeks, or even months in advance. However, please note that if you enter a change and the dismissal plans are canceled, you must remember to delete the change from PickUp Patrol or your student will be given the PickUp Patrol dismissal directions. After 12:45pm (12pm on Early Release Wednesdays), changes will not be accepted except in the case of an unexpected emergency. Such changes can be made via phone directly to the Main Office. As the end of the school day is a busy time, please plan accordingly and limit these exceptions to emergencies only to ensure the safety of all students.
School Hours
Start time: 7:45am
Dismissal begins: 2:05pm
Early Release Wednesday every other week at 1:35pm (buses will arrive approximately 40 minutes earlier than normal)
Half-day dismissal time: 11:00am
Now is the time to start transitioning from summer to school routines. The American Academy of Pediatrics endorses 10-13 hours of sleep per day for 3-5 year old children and 9-12 hours of sleep per day for 6-12 year old children. Here is a link to the article. Well-rested Sharks are better able to learn and flourish!
Parent Teacher Organization (PTO)
Health and Safety Protocols
Thank You to Our Amazing Custodians
Staff List
Harwich Elementary School Handbook
Additional Resources for Families
Join us for the 15th Annual Lower Cape PMC Kids Ride on Sunday, September 25th from 9 am to 12:30 pm. Bike in support of Dana Farber Cancer Institute. . This ride is great for ages 3 to 12. Register to ride or volunteer at www.kids.pmc.org/lowercape
Routes range from short enclosed loops for tricycles and training wheels to longer routes up to 8 miles. The ride starts at Stony Brook Elementary School at 384 Underpass Rd in Brewster. Riders will ride along the rail trail. Pizza Party to celebrate after the Ride.
Register today to make a difference for the Jimmy Fund and Dana Farber and Cancer Research. Join the Lower Cape PMC ride today!!
Stay in Touch
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