April 21, 2019


Dear Quashnet School Community,

Welcome back to school!  I hope everyone had a restful and rejuvenating week off. While you were away, DPW has been busy at Quashnet School.  A new garden is currently being built to replace the garden that was ruined during the renovation project. The new garden is going to be beautiful and I am sure Mrs. Whiddon and Mrs. Blount and the fifth-grade team will soon have a group of busy students shoveling dirt, planting flowers, vegetables, and herbs.  



As you are aware, before the break we had a smell of natural gas outside the building. This was not a constant smell but it would come and go mainly in front of the building. With monitoring from the Mashpee Fire Department and DPW, there was no evidence that any gas was present in or around the building and there was no danger to students or staff.  What was being detected was the additive to natural gas called mercaptan. Apparently, the mercaptan was coming from the boiler vent pipe on the roof when the heating system was kicking on. National Grid was called in and they confirmed that the gas lines and pressure coming into the building were fine. The boiler company was called and they made an adjustment to one of the regulators on the boiler. No odors were reported all vacation week following this repair/adjustment. 

Please know, the safety of students and staff is always the top priority. In December, an evacuation was necessary; this was not the same issue. At no time was gas present or carbon monoxide an issue, only the gas additive mercaptan. I am certainly not an expert when it comes to boilers, burners, and heating systems, but I am confident in the support and collaboration we receive from Superintendent DeBoer, Town Manager Rodney Collins, Mashpee DPW Director, Mashpee Fire Department, National Grid, and our utility workers and contractors.  

Our sixth graders played quite a game of floor hockey versus the teachers the Friday before the break.  Students came out with an early lead which was quite impressive, but it was hard to keep the momentum.  Overall, it was a win-win for everybody. Camaraderie, teamwork, and school pride tops any score.  Thank you, Mr. Morris, for preparing students all year and SRO Mike Worrick, who played strong for the students.  Deputy Roth, one of our GREAT officers from the Barnstable County Sheriff's Department, was an outstanding referee who kept the game moving! ☺ Quashnet Rocks! 



Be sure to check out the pictures this week of our talented musicians, singers, dancers, and readers.  The first annual, Night to Shine - A Celebration of Words and Music was wonderful! 

The Quashnet cafe was transformed and the stage was set to show off Quashnet students. Thank you to all who participated and to Mrs. Hill, Mrs. Boyd, Ms. Ali Keohane, and Ms. Bretti Keohane for their organization and support of our talented performers. 



I am very happy to acknowledge Quashnet Mathematicians - check this out! Mr. Loyko's math students are in FOURTH PLACE based on the first standings in the National IXL Spring Showdown answering over 2000 math problems. The contest began on April 1st and runs through April 30th.  Last year, over 13,000 classrooms participated in this event. The top 3 classrooms will be announced on May 6th. This has been accomplished partially in class and on students' own time at home. Keep up this great work! Mrs. McKay's class has logged a very respectable 61 hours. Nice job!  

Please consider hosting a child from China between May 17th and 24th. Exchange students were interviewed for their visa last Friday. With this process going well, I expect bios and pictures of the students this week.  Being a host family is a fabulous opportunity to learn about another culture and share not only differences but similarities as well. Our students will be coming from Beijing, China which is an extremely large city with a population of 21.7 million people. For comparison, New York City has a population of 8.6 million people.  Most families live in high rise apartments. These students love a yard, the beach, and are fascinated with squirrels, the blue sky and stars at night. They will be touring Boston and NYC with Boston Ivy - so you do not need to bring them to special places. Their families are hoping the children improve their English skills, have an opportunity to experience life with an American family, and make new friends.  They just do what your child does. They will come to school on school days, and if your child goes to the Boys & Girls Club or Adventure Club, the exchange student does the same. If you are interested or have questions, please feel free to email me at mobrien@mpspk12.org. We will be scheduling a host family meeting soon.  

LATE BREAKING NEWS as of SUNDAY 4/21 at 2:30 PM:  I just received an email from Boston Ivy, the exchange students did not receive visas to come to the US for May.  This process has become more challenging and their applications have been postponed for up to 6 weeks.  We are going to try again in the fall to host students. Thank you for your interest in the program - I will keep you updated. 

A few reminders:  

Every morning the front doors open at 8:00 AM.  Students should not be dropped off before that time. Teachers are not in classrooms and students should not be left unsupervised in front of the school. 

If you drive your child in the morning, PLEASE come through the drop-off line. Students should get out of the car along the entire length of the sidewalk. Pulling up to the sign will allow more cars to drop off at one time. This is a team effort!

Thursday, April 25th, Class and Spring Picture Day 

Monday, April 29th, is an early release day with an 11:30 AM student dismissal.

QS Spelling Bee is scheduled for Thursday, May 2, 2019.

Mathematics MCAS will be administered on Wednesday, and Thursday, May 8th and 9th for all grades.  

*New date:  Progress Reports will be available Thursday, May 9th, not May 8th, as indicated on the District calendar - log into PowerSchool on May 9th to see your child's midterm progress.  

PTO Family Game Night, Friday, May 10th 6:00-8:00 PM - QS library.   

I am looking forward to welcoming students and staff back to school on Monday, April 22nd.  It is a DAY 6 in our cycle rotation.  

Have a wonderful week ahead!  

Respectfully, 
Mrs. O'Brien, Principal