October 6, 2019 


Dear Quashnet School Community, 

Change is in the air! 

Nurse Kristin & Nurse Terri

Congratulations to Nurse Kristin as she embarks on a new challenge being the lead nurse for the DY School District. Thank you, Nurse Kristin, for your care, compassion, and expertise in assessing the medical needs of both students and staff. We will miss you!

We are grateful to have Nurse Terri Richards join the Quashnet team on Monday, October 7th.  Nurse Terri comes to us with multiple years of school nursing experience in both Connecticut and New York. Most recently she has been working in the Falmouth Schools.  Please help me give Nurse Terri a warm welcome to Mashpee. If you need to reach Nurse Terri for any issues, her email address is trichards@mpspk12.org.  


Please help us help you:

Attendance Reminder- 
If your child is going to be out of school for any reason, please call the health office at  508-539-1550 x4155 before 8:00 AM.  If you prefer, you can also email that your child will not be in school at qsattendance@mpspk12.org.  If a call or email is not received, you will get a call confirming a student's absence. 

Early Dismissals - 
Send in a note with your child providing the time for pick up and by whom. With a note, we will not need to call and confirm your intentions. 

Dismissals-
Families have different structures, needs, and relationships. If there are any custody, legal concerns, or dismissal restrictions, PLEASE share this with the main office. Court orders and legal agreements are kept confidential.  It is up to the parent/guardian to provide these papers. If you have any questions or concerns, please either call or email me at  mobrien@mpspk12.org.

Arrival -
Students arriving after 9:05 AM are considered tardy.  Thank you families - there is a significant reduction in student tardies to start the year. 


This coming Friday, October 11th there is NO SCHOOL for STUDENTS.  It is a teacher professional day.  Teachers and staff will begin the analysis of the 2019 MCAS scores. By evaluating the school and individual student scores, we are able to evaluate our instruction, curriculum and learning environment. Teachers will also be engaged in training with our new ELA program, Wonders.  It is a busy day of learning, collaboration, and planning for our professional staff. 

*** Be on the lookout for your child's MCAS report from Spring 2019. They will be mailed home on Monday, October 7, 2019.  *** 

Monday, October 14, 2019, is Indigenous Peoples' Day - School will be CLOSED.  What is Indigenous People's Day? - "Instead of honoring Christopher Columbus, the Indigenous Peoples’ Day recognizes Native Americans, who were the first inhabitants of the land that later became the United States of America. Advocates for the switch to Indigenous Peoples Day argue that Columbus did not “discover” America in 1492 but instead began the colonization of it. For decades, Native American activists have advocated abolishing Columbus Day, which became a federal holiday in 1937." (https://time.com/4968067/indigenous-peoples-day-columbus-day-cities/)

Important notices from last week:  

The link for Parent/Teacher Conferences is here!  Click this link to sign up for a conference with your child's teacher(s) -  https://www.myconferencetime.com/mashpee.  We are using a new platform to register for conferences this year.  I hope you find the process quick and easy.  Just select Quashnet School, select the date you prefer and find a time for the teacher. You will also be able to sign up for KCC conferences on the same link.  As always, if you have any difficulty or questions, just call (508-539-1550) or stop into the Quashnet office and we will be happy to help.    

If conferences seem early this year, they are! In the past, conferences were held in November/December. We felt it made more sense to meet sooner and discuss strategies to best meet the needs of all students before the first term is over. October is the midterm, which will allow more time to make adjustments to best meet student needs. Attached is an article from the National Education Association on parent preparation for conference time - it's a quick read and worth it!  http://www.nea.org/home/60103.htm 

IMPORTANT HEALTH CARE NOTICE 

Over the next several weeks, students in Grades 4 & 5 will be participating in field lessons as part of their science curriculum.  As I am sure you have heard in the news, EEE has been found in mosquitoes on the Cape.  We have reviewed the Board of Health warnings and they have suggested avoiding being outside from dusk to dawn. To be safe, we are suggesting the following precautions as well:  
1. Students should wear long pants 
2. Wear long-sleeve shirts 
3. Each student will be provided with a Deep Woods OFF Towelette unless a parent/guardian opts out of this precaution.  
4. A baseball cap or sun hat is always suggested on these trips.  

We will be monitoring potential health care advisories and we will notify you if there are updates or changes to the scheduled trips. 



Wishing you a wonderful week and a great long weekend ahead! 

Respectfully, 
Principal O'Brien