September 18, 2022 

Dear Quashnet School Community, 

The first full week of school included the return of two great events. On Thursday, we welcomed families to the 2022-23 Open House. Seeing so many families come out to meet the staff and teachers was wonderful!  I hope it was an informative night for all. If you were unable to attend, send an email to your child's teachers and they will bring you up to date. 

On Friday, the KCC PTO and QS PTO joined together to welcome all of our elementary school families to the Welcome-Back BBQ. The school field was filled with friends, families, food, and games.  Thank you to the hard-working PTO members who brought back this great event!

Last Sunday, I shared the link to the Quashnet School after-school clubs.  Registration will be open through Monday, September 19.  We are expecting to get confirmation on club participation sent home no later than Thursday, September 22. If you have not registered your child yet, just click the link HERE. 

Unfortunately, Robotics and the Art club is full, but Mrs. Pons, our school librarian, is looking for additional readers. She facilitates the book club on Wednesdays. and she has multiple new titles to choose from. This is a great way to participate and vote on the Massachusetts Book Award nominees - make your opinion count! 

Knitting is another after-school activity. No experience is necessary or equipment is needed. Mrs. Geggatt even has volunteers who are ready to help new or experienced knitters. A few years ago, the Quashnet School knitters made bird nests for a wildlife refuge in South Carolina. These hand-knit items were a real life-saver for birds. So cool!  

Mr. Souza teachers Gades 3&4 students how to play flag rugby - nothing but fun, fitness, and sportsmanship here. 

ST Math Club is a fun way to spend some time with a friend and Jiji after school. Mrs. Pimental is also eager to help with math homework or skills you might not yet have mastered. 

Both Miss Bretti Keohane and Ms. Ali Keohane want to support students with reading skills through Lexia. Move a grade level or more this year with this research-based reading intervention! 

Ms. Manning leads the K-Kids. K-Kids is a division of the Kiwanis community service organization. Senior citizens, veterans, local food pantries, and animal shelters have all been beneficiaries of the good work from the Quashnet School K-Kids. 

Registration closes for all clubs tomorrow, 9/19/22. 

Boy Scouts Pack 36 is running a food drive to support our local food pantry.  There is a collection box in the front foyer of the school. Canned goods needed! Thank you for your support. 

If you come to Quashnet School you may see one or two Mashpee police cars or a vehicle from the Barnstable County Sheriff's Department. Not to be alarmed - this is a good thing! We are so fortunate to have two Mashpee Police Officers as full-time School Resource Officers. Officers Katie Hennessey and Peter Cogswell are outstanding members of our team and visit the schools daily. 

We also partner with the Barnstable County Sheriff's Department. Deputy Cahill will be working with Grade 5&6 on the GREAT Program and he often stops in the visit with students during arrival, lunch, and recess. We are grateful for these community partners.

Integrated Arts (IA) begin this week! What is IA? Integrated Arts is an instructional model that we introduced last year. It provides one extra 45-minute special per week. Students in Grade 3&4 will be exposed to string and wind instruments, technology instruction, artful expressions, and physical fitness/cooperative games. Students in Grade 3&4 will participate in IA with their homeroom classes.

Grade 5&6 students have a choice of band, strings, chorus, physical education, art, and tech during this extra one 45-minute block per week. Students select their IA preference which will rotate each term (3x per year).

Following the Covid years, Integrated Arts is allowing us to rebuild the music program and provide students with an opportunity to engage and build skills in areas of high interest. IA meets the last period of the day on Tuesdays for Grade 6, Wednesdays for Grade 5, Thursdays for Grade 4, and on Fridays for Grade 3.

 

Thank you for supporting the PTO. 

The first PTO meeting for this school year will be on Wednesday, October 5 @ 6:00 PM. Mark your calendars - your participation is valued and needed! 

Just a quick reminder that qsattendance@mpspk12.org is a great way to notify us if your child is sick, going to be absent, or has a change in dismissal procedures. Please be sure to notify us of any changes in dismissal before 2:00 PM.  

As shared at Open House, Mr. Kehrl and I are here to partner with parents to best support students. Any questions, concerns, or ideas, please be sure to reach out by phone at 508-539-1550, stop in to see us, or email us at mobrien@mpspk12.org and bkehrl@mpspk12.org. Working together is always better! Volunteers are also welcome back into our school - get registered at #WeAreMashpee or the Superintendent's Office. 

Wishing you a great week ahead!

Respectfully, 

Principal O'Brien